Habenaria elliptica - Elliptic Habenaria

Elliptic Habenaria is a terrestrial orchid with tubers ellipsoid, 2-2.5 x 0.6 cm, and stem 8-24 inches, leafy. Flowers are white, 1.2 cm across, in many flowered dense racemes dense. Dorsal sepals and petals erect, arching aver the column: lateral sepals spreading. Lip is curled down, divided to near the middle into three nearly equal lobes: lateral lobes pointed, entire or toothed on the outer margin; spur 2 cm long, slender above, below much thickened and curved forwards. Stigmatic processes fleshy, deflexed down against the lip. Ovary 2 cm long, curved forwards. Leaves are mostly near the ground but also on the stem above, lanceshaped or elliptic, pointed, 5-10 x 1-2 cm, the upper smaller and merging into the floral bracts, which are lanceshaped pointed, shorter than the ovary. Elliptic Habenaria is endemic to Peninsular India. Flowering: August-September.