Revision of the genus Benthamia A. Rich. (Orchidaceae, Orchidioideae, Habenariinae) Author Hervouet, Jean-Michel Fédération France Orchidées (FFO) and Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Direction générale déléguée aux collections, Herbier national, case postale 39, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris (France) jmhervouet @ free. fr jmhervouet@free.fr Author Descourvières, Pascal France Orchidées (FFO), 27 rue Auguste Blanqui, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine (France) descourvieres. pascal @ neuf. fr descourvieres.pascal@neuf.fr Author Hermans, Johan , Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW 9 3 AE (United Kingdom) and Core Facility, Botanical Garden, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna (Austria) j. hermans @ kew. org j.hermans@kew.org Author Longou, Ludivine Atelier d'iconographie scientifique, UAR 2047 DoHNÉE, MNHN / CNRS, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris (France) ludivine. longou @ mnhn. fr ludivine.longou@mnhn.fr text Adansonia 2025 3 2025-07-21 47 11 171 249 https://sciencepress.mnhn.fr/sites/default/files/articles/pdf/adansonia2025v47a11.pdf journal article 313251 10.5252/adansonia2025v47a11 b8e5d9ec-7e27-4bbf-a8a8-6cee2bf7465f 1639-4798 16262489 Genus Benthamia A.Rich. ( Figs 1 ; 2 ) Monographie des Orchidées des Îles de France et Bourbon ( Richard 1828: 37 ), non Lindl. (w). Rolfeella Schltr., Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 33: 18 ( Schlechter 1924 ) . — Type species: Benthamia glaberrima (Ridl.) Schltr. TYPE SPECIES . — Benthamia latisatis (Thouars) Bytebier (as Benthamia latifolia A.Rich. ). DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — The genus Benthamia is widespread in Madagascar , La Réunion and Mauritius , with possibly one species (probably B. africana (Lindl.) Hermans ) on the Comoros ( Fig. 3 ). It ranges from sea level to high altitudes ( 2600 m ). It is generally found in open places, both dry and marshy. ETYMOLOGY . — Named for the English botanist George Bentham (1800-1884), who together with Sir Joseph Hooker produced Genera Plantarum (1865-1883). DESCRIPTION Terrestrial or less commonly epiphytic (5 species) sympodial glabrous herbs with 2-7 swollen generally glabrous tubers, which are in fact tuberous roots. Stem erect or arcuate, sometimes with sheaths only (one species), or with 1-2 radical sheathing leaves, or with 2-10 cauline leaves. Leaves lanceolate, ovate or elliptic, sometimes not developed at anthesis (3 species). Rachis terminal, erect or rarely curved, few- to densely many-flowered. Floral bracts small, usually as long or longer than the ovary. Ovary pedicellate, fusiform or oblong, generally twisted (except Benthamia bosseri ). Flowers small, resupinate (except one species with non-resupinate and pendent flowers), arranged in a narrow rachis, white, green or yellow; sepals and petals free or almost free, entire; labellum entire or trilobed; spur cylindrical (nine species) or short and scrotiform, entire or bilobed at apex, or a small hollow only in one species ( B. boiteaui ). Column short and massive, subterete, erect; anther erect to slightly deflexed, placed above the rostellum, apiculate or not, bilocular, locules parallel, without anther canals; pollinia two, ellipsoid, granular, 2 caudiculae rudimentary, with two viscidia, detachable, flat, ovate or subelliptic; rostellum small, tridentate or trilobed at the anterior edge; stigma always very short, cushion-shaped, with short convex lobes; auricles two, generally conspicuous, subspathulate or falciform, sometimes lacerated, on lateral sides of column. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, with floral parts persistent on the fruit.