Revision of the genus Benthamia A. Rich. (Orchidaceae, Orchidioideae, Habenariinae) Hervouet, Jean-Michel Descourvières, Pascal Hermans, Johan Longou, Ludivine Adansonia 2025 3 2025-07-21 47 11 171 249 LHN5 Schltr. Schltr. [991,1277,1813,1840] Liliopsida Orchidaceae Benthamia Plantae Asparagales 61 230 Tracheophyta species praecox  ( Fig. 85)    Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt34 (2): 303 ( Schlechter 1916).    TYPE  MATERIAL. —   Madagascar• Haute Matsiatra, nord du massif d’Andringitra; alt.  1000 m;  H. Perrier11481(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 2022in Ambatofinandrahana region. With an AOO of less than 500 km², 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. Nicolls.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. Perrier12886; P[ P00334729, P00334730]! •  Haute Matsiatra, Ambalavao;  20.X.1940;  R. Decary15908; P[ P00692273]!,  TAN! •  Amoron’i Mania, P.K. 10 route Ivato-Ambatofinandrahana; 20°40’03”S, 47°08’03”E;  IX.1956;  J. Bosser9868; 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. Rauh7284; HEID[ HEID713724, labelled  Liparis]! •  Haute Matsiatra,  10 kmau sud d’Ambalavao;  14.X.1970;  M. Keraudren-Aymonin24625; P[ P00692446]! •  Haute Matsiatra, Andringitra reserve; 22˚10’S, 46˚56’E; alt.  1975 m;  I.1987;  M. Nicoll288; K!,  MO! •  Amoron’i Mania, SW. of Ivato, about  9 kmon Ambatofinandrahana road;  29.III.1994;  J. Hermans3149; K[spirit K58663.000]! •  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. Hermans5219, 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 specimenat K has no leaves.   FIG. 87. —  Benthamia rostrataSchltr.: Mount Ibity, Madagascar, 1 April 2018. Photograph by Jean-Michel Hervouet. 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 cmtall. Tubers 5-7, stalked, oblong-claviform, downy, roots numerous. Stem 1.5-3 mmin 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 cmlong, 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 mmlong, the laterals divergent, around 1 mmlong; 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. 5898708575 P H. Perrier Madagascar 1000 nord du massif d'Andringitra Haute Matsiatra 61 230 P00094571 1 holotype 5898708725 M. Nicoll Madagascar Madagascar 62 231 1 5898709113 1919-09 P H. Perrier ouest de Fianarantsoa 62 231 P00334729, P00334730 1 ouest de Fianarantsoa 5898708843 1940-10-20 P R. Decary Haute Matsiatra 62 231 P00692273 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708440 [1279,1333,1458,1482] 1940-10-20 TAN R. Decary Haute Matsiatra 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa 5898709129 1956-09 P J. Bosser -20.6675 Amoron'i Mania 21 47.134167 62 231 P00334728 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708871 [1378,1433,1511,1535] 1956-09 TAN J. Bosser -20.6675 Amoron'i Mania 21 47.134167 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708842 1959-11-11 P Amoron'i Mania 62 231 P01805104 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708756 granite rock 1961-09-24 HEID W. Rauh -20.6675 Amoron'i Mania 21 47.134167 62 231 HEID713724 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708826 1970-10-14 P M. Keraudren-Aymonin Haute Matsiatra 62 231 P00692446 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708369 1987-01 K M. Nicoll 1975 Haute Matsiatra Andringitra reserve 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708333 [1292,1338,1696,1720] 1987-01 MO M. Nicoll 1975 Haute Matsiatra Andringitra reserve 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa 5898708394 1994-03-29 K J. Hermans Amoron'i Mania, SW. of Ivato 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa 5898709094 2001-04 K J. Hermans 1548 -20.6697222 road towards Ambatofinandrahana 47.142222 Amoron'i Mania 62 231 1 Fianarantsoa