Cynorkis gabonensis Summerh. 1938 SECTION Parviflorae

Drawing by © Summerhayes and The Kew Royal Botanical Garden Website

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Common Name The Gabon Cynorkis

Flower Size

Found in Cameroon, the Gulf of Guinea Island and Gabon at elevations of of 600 to 1800 meters as a miniature sized, cool growing terrestrial with an erect, delicate, glabrous leaves that blooms on an erect, terminal, ,4 to 1.2" [1 to 3 cm] long, 5 to 20 flowered inflorescence with ovate-lanceolate, acute, scarious, semi-transparent floral bracts.

"This rather interesting species does not resemble very closely any known Tropical African species but rather has the appearance of Goodyera and allied genera. The glandular hairs so characteristic of many species of Cynorkis are quite lacking in C. gabonensis but the floral structure places it in the genus. The rostellum projects forwards horizontally and is almost undivided, the middle lobe appearing as a fleshy upwardly directed knob right between the large viscidia of the pollinia. The stigmata are lateral and free in the upper part. C. gabonensis differs from C debilis, in its reclinate anther, this being more or less erect in the other species; it also has a differently shaped lip." Summerhayes 1938

Synonyms Bicornella gabonensis (Summerh.) Szlach. & Kras 2006

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1938: 143 Summerhayes 1938 as Cynorchis gabonenesis;

Flore du Gabon Vol 36 Szlachetko etal 2004 drawing fide; Orchidaceae of West Central Africa Vol 1 Szlatchecko etal 2010 as Bicornella gabonensis drawing fide

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