Eulophia is a genus in the Orchidaceae family with over 200 species spread throughout tropical Americas, Asia and South Africa. They are characterized by being terrestrial, rarely epiphytic and are tall having globose corms, short stalks and long plicate leaves. The inflorescence is basal and can attain a length of 15' (5 meters) with a raceme of several, medium sized flowers with lateral sepals that arch upwards, a lip that is deeply concave at the base and carries longitudinal crests on its blade. There is a long foot on the column carrying two pollina with a stipe.
Eulophia aculeata is a rhizomatous geophyte to 50 cm. tall. It is found in grassland and fynbos from the southwestern Cape to Mpumalanga. Flowers are in a dense crowded inflorescence without a spur and are ivory to greenish, pink or purple. Photos by Cameron McMaster
Eulophia aculeata subsp. aculeata has small white to greenish white flowers.
Eulophia clavicormis is a rhizomatous geophyte to 80 cm. tall. It is found in grassland from the Eastern Cape to tropical Africa. It has green to purplish brown sepals and white to purple or yellow petals and lip. Photos by Cameron McMaster.
Eulophia clavicormis subsp. nutans has fully developed leaves at flowering. The flowers are white to purple or yellow.
Eulophia foliosa is found in grassland from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Province of South Africa. It is summer growing to 60 cm. Flowers are in a dense elongated cluster and are lime-green with the ends of the lip tinged purple or white. Photo by Cameron McMaster
Eulophia macowanii is found in grassland in the Eastern Cape and Kwa Zulu-Natal. Leaves are found on a separate shoot and flowers are cream and brown. It grows to 40 cm. tall. Photos by Cameron McMaster.
Eulophia ovalis is a deciduous rhizomatous geophyte to 69 cm. tall. It is found on dry or marshy grassland and bushveld from the Eastern Cape to tropical Africa. Flowers are purple and white or cream to lilac. The lip has fleshy, peglike outgrowths. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Eulophia parviflora is found in the Eastern Cape in grassland, coastal thornveld, and rocky slopes. It is pleasantly scented with brown and yellow flowers. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Eulophia speciosa is found in bushveld and open scrub in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. It has subterranean or partly aerial pseudobulbs and bright yellow and green flowers with purple markings. Photos by Cameron McMaster.
Eulophia streptopetala is a robust species found in thicket or on forest margins from the Eastern Cape to tropical Africa. It has a short pseudo bulb that is partially exposed above ground. Sepals are green, mottled purplish brown and the roundish petals are yellow with the lip streaked red-brown. It is long blooming. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
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