Cynorkis jackyi Hermans & Sieder

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

Répartition

Madagascar.

Floraison : J___________. Altitude de 38 à 38 m.

Description sommaire

Plante terrestre. Taille de 0 à 21 cm. Bractées apex acuminé. Fleurs de 0 à 10, blanches, jaunes, oranges, vertes, roses. Sépale dorsal en coiffe, ovale, de 2-3 × 1-2 mm. Sépales latéraux oblongs, obovales, de 2-4 × 1-2 mm. Pétales oblongs, obovales, de 2-3 × 1-2 mm.

Commentaires

The new species is recognised by the two basal leaves with strongly tessellate venation and the long slender inflorescence with up to 10 small flowers. The lip has a distinct rounded callus at its base and a somewhat swollen spur. It has small flowers somewhat similar to those of species in the genus Benthamia A. Rich. (Richard 1828: 43) but it has ovoid-ellipsoid tubers (vs long and fasciculate in Benthamia), ovate leaves (vs generally narrow in Benthamia), a distinct callus on the base of the lip (not known in Benthamia) and short rostellum caudicles (vs lacking in Benthamia). Reticulate or otherwise patterned basal leaves are not uncommon in Cynorkis and can be found in species like C. tryphioides Schltr. (Schlechter 1913:155) but with a completely different habit and floral morphology. It is most similar to C. falcata (Frapp. ex Cordem.) Schltr. (Schlechter 1915: 400), endemic to Réunion, with which it shares the size, lip shape and other floral characteristics but it differs in having more than oneleaf with distinct net-like venation, is laxly flowered and has a rounded callus at the base of the lip.