Polystachya heckmanniana

Not your every day species, rather small, total height hardly 10 cm, a native to this part of Kenya, and often the flowers get pollinated before opening properly, the detail flower photo shows it rather open for a change. A cool climate grower and not wide spread, and as mentioned elsewhere as well, flowers rather big relative to the size of the plant, maybe that is part of the reason it is a slow grower.

 

With most Polystachya (Moderator, kindly correct the title) the lip is on the upper side of the flower.

 

Internet has 1-3 flowers, this one has four, somewhere out there 5+ will not be a surprise.

 

Marni, thank you very much!

 

Below the one with 5 flowers, #6 misfired with only the sheath of the flower stalk remaining.

 

Just to show the level of fertilization, all by natural pollination, same plants as above. As if the pollinators were lining up for their portion.