Eulophia is a very large pantropical genus and is represented in southern Africa by 45 orchid species. The plants grow terrestrially in small to large colonies in grassland, marshes, savanna and scrub, and occasionally also in fynbos. With their open and often also fairly large flowers in brilliant colours, they resemble ‘typical orchids’ more than other indigenous South African orchids. Flowering occurs in spring or summer. Plants have underground corms or partly aerial pseudobulbs. Leaves, which may be absent or present at the flowering time, are either thin-tissued or leathery (sometimes even succulent). The erect inflorescences are always lateral and bear a number of medium-sized or large flowers. In most species these are resupinate (lip facing down). Sepals and petals are normally simple and always unspurred. The lip is most commonly three-lobed and usually has a basal sac or spur. On its upper surface it has various outgrowths like crests, papillae or lamellae, but a large lip appendage as in Pterygodium is not present. The column is stout to elongate and has a prominent undifferentiated column-part. Apically it bears the anther (pollen sac) which is positioned under a ‘lid’ called the anther cap. The stigma is situated in a cavity on the front side of the column below the anther. Growing orchids from seed is a fairly specialized undertaking and it requires a bit of understanding of tissue culture techniques. If you have never grown orchids from seed we recommend that before attempting this you should first coct your local Orchid Society, or purchase a book on the subject, or both!

Eulophia horsfallii commonly known as Purple Vlei Orchid is a South African indigenous species from the KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. It is synonymously known as Eulophia rosea, Lissochilus horsfallii, Lissochilus roseus, Lissochilus sandersonii, Lissochilus sceptrum, Lissochilus transvaalensis and Lissochilus welwitschii. This summer rainfall specie grows from 60 cm to 200 cm tall. This robust plant has pleated leaves with sheathed stalks and yellow midribs. From spring to winter it bears colourful pink flowers with purplish red-brown sepals and mottled dark green spots. This specie does very well in pots. The species is best sown in spring.