Eulophia petersii flying the colours

Colour rich Eulophia petersii flowers flaunt white, cream, green, purple and pink hues, all in their allocated sites. They shade or merge gradually into each other, or contrast starkly, depending on the flower part.

The creamy column peeps through the gap between the petals. The front end of the lip is white, the pink-purple central ridges and lateral veins towards the back embedded in a white background as well.

Veins on the petals show on both surfaces, with more shine on the inside. In the photo green predominates on the sepals towards the base, purple towards the tips. The sepal shape deviates slightly from oblong here, widening towards the tips in a marginally oblanceolate outline (Pooley, 1998; Onderstall, 1984; http://burgersonion.blogspot.co.za).