Benthamia vulcanorum Hervouet & Descourv., 2025

Hervouet, Jean-Michel, Descourvières, Pascal, Hermans, Johan & Longou, Ludivine, 2025, Revision of the genus Benthamia A. Rich. (Orchidaceae, Orchidioideae, Habenariinae), Adansonia (3) 47 (11), pp. 171-249 : 242-244

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5252/adansonia2025v47a11
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039B87AB-FF9D-FFAD-2088-F3062D9FC1BA
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Benthamia vulcanorum Hervouet & Descourv.
status

Treatment

Benthamia dauphinensis (Rolfe) Schltr. View in CoL

Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 33: 25 ( Schlechter 1924). — Habenaria dauphinensis Rolfe View in CoL , Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 29: 56 ( Rolfe 1891).

Type material. — Madagascar • Anosy, Fort-Dauphin; G. F. Scott

Elliot 2867; holotype: K [ K 000415551]!.

ETYMOLOGY. — From the city of Fort-Dauphin in the south-east of Madagascar, the “dauphin” being the young Louis XIV.

PHENOLOGY. — Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Madagascar. Collected near Fort-Dauphin in the south-east of the country.

CONSERVATION. — This species has been quoted CR by IUCN in 2015 (https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN. UK.2015-2.RLTS. T68501445A68713181.en).

NOTES

This species is only known from the holotype. The combination of a single leaf, the slightly lobed lip and the spur are strongly reminiscent of Benthamia monophylla . Moreover, it has been found in a region where the latter is present. However, the flowers are smaller, the spur is much shorter and has a different shape, and its rachis is not secund. Neither confirming it a proper species or synonymising it with Benthamia monophylla is satisfactory and more material is needed.

See also: Hervouet (2018: 160, photographs are Benthamia spiraloides ).

DESCRIPTION

Erect terrestrial herb, around 50 cm high. Tubers and roots not known. A single basal leaf, linear 7-9 × 0.6-0.7 mm. Rachis lax, bearing 15-20 flowers. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, 3 × 0.8 mm long. Ovary 5 × 1 mm. Flowers greenish; sepals elliptic-oblong, obtuse, dorsal sepal 1.8 × 0.9 mm, concave; lateral sepals 1.8 × 1 mm; petals nearly similar to sepals, 1.3 × 0.9 mm long; lip very concave, 1.8 × 1.1 mm long, obscurely trilobed, lateral lobes rounded, midlobe very obtuse, spur about 1.4 × 0.4 mm, flattened, almost bidentate at the tip, truncate. Column 1.1 × 0.9 mm, apiculate.

Mauritius