Benthamia praecox Schltr.

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 : 230-232

Benthamia praecox Schltr.

( Fig. 85 )

Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt 34 (2): 303 ( Schlechter 1916).

TYPE MATERIAL. — Madagascar • Haute Matsiatra, nord du massif d’Andringitra; alt. 1000 m; H. Perrier 11481 (161); holotype: P [ P00094571 ] !.

ETYMOLOGY. — From the Latin “ praecox ”, precocious, blooming early or bearing flowers before the leaves.

PHENOLOGY. — September to November.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Madagascar. Only in Betsileo land (high plateaux of Amoron’i Mania and Haute Matsiatra) from 1000 to 1400 m. On bare granite rocks and montane grasslands, and, according to Lewis et al. (1996), high altitude moss and lichen in rainforest and montane ericoid thicket ( Fig. 86 ).

CONSERVATION. — Known from only three localities, but there are a relatively large number of specimens in P. It could not be found in October 2022 in Ambatofinandrahana region. With an AOO of less than 500 km ², less than five localities and a threatened habitat it should be according to criterion B2 considered Endangered (EN), which is its current status in IUCN Red List since 2015 (https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN. UK.2015-2.RLTS. T70102634A70112747.en).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Madagascar • sine loc.; M. Nicoll s.n. & Kew Spirit Collection n°58663, drawing by Judi Stone in Genera Orchidacearum , vol. 2 ( Pridgeon et al. 2001: 262) • Haute Matsiatra, ouest de Fianarantsoa; IX.1919; H. Perrier 12886; P [ P00334729 , P00334730 ] ! • Haute Matsiatra, Ambalavao; 20.X.1940; R. Decary 15908; P [ P00692273 ]!, TAN ! • Amoron’i Mania, P. K. 10 route Ivato-Ambatofinandrahana; 20°40’03”S, 47°08’03”E; IX.1956; J. Bosser 9868; P [ P00334728 ]!, TAN ! • Amoron’i Mania, Anjoma, route d’Ivato à Ambatofinandrahana; 11.XI.1959; J. Peltier 1199; P [ P01805104 ] ! • Amoron’i Mania, Ivato, granite rock; 20°40’03”S, 47°08’03”E; 24.IX.1961; W. Rauh 7284; HEID [ HEID713724 , labelled Liparis ] ! • Haute Matsiatra, 10 km au sud d’Ambalavao; 14.X.1970; M. Keraudren-Aymonin 24625; P [ P00692446 ] ! • Haute Matsiatra, Andringitra reserve; 22˚10’ S, 46˚56’ E; alt. 1975 m; I.1987; M. Nicoll 288; K!, MO ! • Amoron’i Mania, SW. of Ivato, about 9 km on Ambatofinandrahana road; 29.III.1994; J. Hermans 3149; K [spirit K 58663.000] ! • Amoron’i Mania, road towards Ambatofinandrahana, Inselberg a few km before Anjomana Ankona; 20°40’11”S, 47°07’91”E; alt. 1548 m; IV.2001; J. Hermans 5219, K !.

NOTES

The species can be recognised by its long cylindrical spur and the short auricles. In his original description Schlechter stated that the leaves are not developed at anthesis (“ foliis sub anthesi nondum evolutis ”). This is questionable since all specimens in P have leaves, only one specimen at K has no leaves.

Schlechter doubted that this species would belong to the genus Benthamia , because of the long spur and the short staminodes (here auricles).

See also: Schlechter (1930: t.12 n°46), Perrier (1939: 20), Cribb & Hermans (2009: 43).

DESCRIPTION

Erect slender terrestrial herb, 10-40 cm tall. Tubers 5-7, stalked, oblong-claviform, downy, roots numerous. Stem 1.5-3 mm in diameter, with 2-3 basal amplexicaul sheaths, 20-35 × 6-10 mm, a tuft of leaves and a few bract-like sheaths higher up. Leaves 5-9, erect, acuminate-aristate, 40-70 × 2-5 mm. Rachis rather dense, bearing 25-45 flowers, elongated, 8-23 cm long, unilateral. Floral bracts lanceolate-linear, 4-7 × 1-1.6 mm, very acute, a little longer than the ovary. Ovary 4-8 × 1-2 mm, a little curved. Flowers small, greenish-brown; sepals elliptic-oblong, obtuse, dorsal sepal 2-2.9 × 0.9-1.3 mm, lateral sepals 2.2-3.1 × 0.9-1.3 mm; petals as long, 2-3 × 0.9-1.4 mm, lanceolate-ligulate obtuse, a little expanded towards the base of the front edge; lip broadly cuneate, 3-4 × 1.6-2.5 mm, trilobed above the middle, lobes not equal, ligulate-obtuse, the middle one thick, around 1.8 mm long, the laterals divergent, around 1 mm long; spur narrowly cylindrical or conical, somewhat obtuse, 2-3 × 0.3-0.8 mm. Anther subglobose; auricles hardly visible at the base of column, suborbicular, twice as short as the anther.

Figures

FIG. 85. — Benthamia praecox Schltr., Fianarantsoa prov., SW of Ivato,off RN. 7, about 9 km on Ambatofinandrahana road, 29 March 1994. Photograph by Johan Hermans.

FIG. 86. — Distribution map of Benthamia praecox Schltr.