Cynorkis elephantina Hermans, Andriant. & Sieder

in J. Hermans, J.L. Andriantiana, A. Sieder et al., Kew Bull 72 : 38 (2017).

Répartition

Madagascar.

Floraison : J___________. Altitude de 319 à 319 m.

Description sommaire

Plante terrestre, lithophyte. Taille de 0 à 35 cm. Feuilles de 1 à 2, de 180-230 × 60-90 mm, lancéolées. Fleurs de 15 à 22, blanches. Eperon de 70 à 78 mm. Sépale dorsal en coiffe, de 15-17 × 7-8 mm. Sépales latéraux en spatule, de 16-17 × 6-7 mm. Labelle lancéolé, obovale, de 20-22 × 5-6 mm.

Commentaires

The new species is distinct by the large glossy spotted leaves, large leaf-like sheaths, the entire recurved lip with a long pendent spur which almostquadruples in length as the flower develops, recurved hood, lateral sepals with an auricle towards the apical margin and the long tusk-like rostellum arms. It is a very distinct, large-flowered species that somewhat resembles Cynorkis gibbosa Ridl. (Ridley 1883: 331) in section Gibbosorchis, in its leaf and floral morphology but is distinguished by its white flowers (vs brick red in C. gibbosa) with an entire lip (vs strongly lobed), much longer spur and distinct rostellum arms. Few larger flowered Cynorkis species have an entire lip.