Benthamia litoralis 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 : 215-217

Benthamia madagascariensis (Rolfe) Schltr.

( Fig. 64 )

Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt 34 (2): 300 ( Schlechter 1916). — Holothrix madagascariensis Rolfe , Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 29: 55 ( Rolfe 1893); Perrier 1939: 35. — Habenaria madagascariensis (Rolfe) Schltr., Oesterreichische Botanische Zeittschrift 49: 23 (1899). — Peristylus madagascariensis (Rolfe) Rolfe , Orchid Review 7 (73): 4 ( Rolfe 1899). — Platanthera madagascariensis (Rolfe) Kraenzl. , Orchidacearum Genera et Species 1: 609 ( Kraenzlin 1899). Peristylus macropetalus Finet , Notulae Systematicae 2: 24 ( Finet 1911). — Type: sine loc.; culture in P; XII.1910, M.F. Geay s.n.; holotype: P[P00334758]!.

B A C D

TYPE MATERIAL. — Madagascar • Anosy, near Fort-Dauphin; 25°02’S, 46°59’E; G. F. Scott Elliot 2643; lectotype: K!, selected by Hermans et al. (2007: 73); isolectotype: P [ P00094529 ] !.

ETYMOLOGY. — “Madagascariensis ”, from Madagascar.

PHENOLOGY. — February to August.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Madagascar. Only in the Anosy region in the north of Fort-Dauphin, except for one possibly dubious record from the south of Antananarivo. In coastal marshes ( Fig. 65 ). CONSERVATION. — This species is widespread in marshland in the Fort-Dauphin region but is threatened by the mining activities in the coastal sands of this region, so it should be considered now as Near Threatened (NT).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Madagascar • Atsimo-Atsinanana, plains near Vaingandrano; 23°20’50”S, 47°36’50”E; 6.III; G. F. Scott Elliot 2257; K [ K000415554 ], BM [ BM000076235 ] ! • sine loc.; 1897; L.D. M. Catat 4326; P [ P00334762 , P00334763 , P00334764 ] ! • Anosy , région de Fort-Dauphin; 1897; G. Paroisse 28; P [ P00334765 , P00334766 ] ! • Analamanga, damp area near Manjakandriana; 18°54’37”S, 47°48’29”E; VI.1905; C. d’Alleizette 7066b; L [ L1487718 ] ! • Anosy , Manantenina; 10. VI.1926; R. Decary 3876; P [ P00334770 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 24. VI.1926; R. Decary 4087; P [ P00334773 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 26. VI.1926; R. Decary 3982; P [ P00334771 , P00334772 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 1. V.1932; R. Decary 9793; P [ P00334774 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin, Pic Saint-Louis; alt. 300 m; 3.VII.1932; R. Decary 9973; P [ P00334776 ]!, BM [ BM000034591 !, BM000034592 ]!, K!, TAN ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 30.VIII.1932; R. Decary 9841; P [ P00334775 ] ! • Anosy, Soanierana, district de Fort-Dauphin; 25°00’S, 46°53’E; 16.X.1932; R. Decary 10776; P [ P00334777 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 21.VIII.1937; Poisson 2635; TAN ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 6. VI.1939; R. Decary 14129; P [ P00334778 ] ! • Anosy, vallée du Mandrare, affluent de la Manampanihy, montagne au sud de Tanandava; 24°26’00”S, 47°00’00”E; alt. 850 m; 11-16.III.1947; H. Humbert 20555; P [ P00334759 ] ! • Anosy, bassin de la Manampanihy, mont Vohimavo au nord d’Ampasimena; 24°22’S, 47°10’E; alt. 830 m; 27-28.III.1947; H. Humbert 20720; P [ P00334760 , P00334761 ]!, K [ K000718265 ]!, TAN!, G ! • Anosy, RN 11, Canton Enomihila, district de Manantenina; 24°17’S, 47°19’E; 28. V.1953; D. Ramarokoto 5432RN; P [ P00334767 , P00326093 ] ! • Anosy , Fort-Dauphin; 10.IV.1956; Raonarivelo 85111; P [ P00692460 ] ! • Anosy, Fort-Dauphin, Pic Saint-Louis trail; 25°00’29”S, 46°57’42”E; 12. V.1968; D. Seligson 594; P [ P00334768 noted ”purple flowers” so questionable] ! • Anosy , route de Manantenina, environs de Fort-Dauphin; 4.IV.1969; Y. Veyret 1041; P [ P00334769 ] ! • Anosy , Fort Dauphin, Pic Saint-Louis; VII.1969; F. Friedmann 181; TAN ! • Anosy , Sainte-Luce; 23.IV.1969; W. Rauh R22146 ; HEID [ HEID740744 , HEID740745 , HEID740746 ] ! • Atsimo-Andrefana, Tuléar, route entre Mahatalaky et Manafiafy, 2 km à l’ouest du village d’Ambandrika; 24°46’S, 47°12’E; alt. 0-10 m; 13. VI.1994; A. Randrianasolo 367; P [ P02103231 ]!, K!, MO [ MO3022641 ]!, TAN !• Anosy, Fort-Dauphin area ; 24°47’30”S, 47°05’00”E; 1999; J. Hermans 4242; K ! • Anosy , near Mahatalaky, Tolagnaro province; 2001; J. Hermans 5351; K ! • Anosy, Iabakoho, Antsotso Avaratra, Ivohibe; 24°34’10”S, 47°12’26”E; alt. 105 m; V.2006; C. Birkinshaw et al. 1639; K [ K000395392 ]!, P [ P00593236 ]!, MO!, TAN ! • Anosy , Mahatalaky; alt. 10 m; 5.VIII.2012; N. Rakotonirina 783; MO [ MO3022627 ] !.

NOTES

According to Rolfe, Holothrix madagascariensis ( Rolfe 1893: 55) has the habit of Habenaria glaberrima Ridley but is readily distinguished by the laxer rachis with larger flowers, the much larger lateral lobes of the lip, and the very short saccate spur. In Rolfe’s publication the species is illustrated on plate XII, which is mislabelled Habenaria elliotii .

The specimen C. d’Alleizette 7066b in L (L1487718) was collected close to Antananarivo, very far from the distribution range given by other records. We consider the locality dubious. Note that there is also a second specimen C. d’Alleizette 7066b in L (L1487725), of Benthamia monophylla .

A specimen in P (D. Seligson 594) has a note saying that the flowers are purple. This is questionable since all specimens seen in the wild so far have white flowers.

See also: Cribb & Hermans (2009: 47), Bosser & Lecoufle (2011: 178), Hervouet (2018: 166).

DESCRIPTION

Erect terrestrial herb, 25-50 cm tall. Tubers 1-2, ovoid, roots wiry, c. 1 mm in diameter, up to 20 cm long. Stem 2-5 mm in diameter, with leaves on the lower half, higher up with 3-4 narrow bladed sheaths. Leaves 3-6, linear, 8-15 cm × 3-5 mm. Rachis 5-10 cm, with 15-40 flowers rather densely distributed. Floral bracts narrow, very acute, 7-10 × 1-2 mm. Ovary fusiform, straight, 7-12 × 1-2 mm. Flowers forming a green tube at the base, secund, white; sepals 1-veined, clearly linear, dorsal sepal 5-10.5 × 0.6-2.2 mm, the lateral sepals a little shorter, 5-10 × 0.9- 2 mm, adnate to the petals and to the lip; petals longer and wider than sepals, 5.2-10 × 0.3-2 mm, oblanceolatelinear, rounded at the tip, 1-veined; lip 8-10 × 3-7 mm, narrow, divided into three lobes in the upper quarter; lobes equal, c. 3 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide; spur very shortly saccate, 0.8-1.1 × 0.6-1 mm, as wide at the base as high. Column 1.2-2.8 × 1-2 mm, anther apiculate; auricles broadly oblong, as long as the anther; rostellum with the median tooth twice as long as the lateral, obtuse and gutter-shaped at the apex.

Figures

FIG. 64. — Benthamia madagascariensis (Rolfe) Schltr.,Sainte-Luce Forest, near Fort-Dauphin,Madagascar,25 February2001.Photograph byJean-MichelHervouet.

FIG. 65. — Distribution map of Benthamia madagascariensis (Rolfe) Schltr.