Benthamia africana (Lindl.) Hermans 2014
Photo by © François Vandeschricke and The Orchidees de Reunion Website
Photo by © Roger Van Vuit and his The Reunion Island Orchid Website
Common Name The African Benthamia
Flower Size .1 to .15" [2 to 3 mm]
Found in Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar in cool places in woods, marshlands, woodland margins and shaded wet rocks at elevations of 1000 to 1500 meters as a medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with 3 to 5, inserted from the base to the middle, narrowly ligulate to linear-lanceolate, very acute, slightly attenuate-petiolate base leaves with 3 to 4 linear-acuminate, vary acute sheaths above that blooms at most any time of the year on a narrow, more or less elongate, 2.8 to 12" [7 to 30 cm] long, twisted inflorescence
Synonyms Benthamia minutiflora (Ridl.) Schltr.1924; Benthamia spiralis (Thouars) A.Rich. 1828; Benthamia spiralis var. dissimulata (Schltr.) H.Perrier 1934; Habenaria dissimulata Schltr. 1915; Habenaria minutiflora Ridl. 1885; Habenaria spiralis (Thouars) A.Rich. 1828; Habenaria spiralis (Thouars) Cordem. 1895; Herminium spirale (Thouars) Rchb.f. 1855; Peristylus spiralis (Thouars) S.Moore 1877; Satyrium spirale Thouars 1822 nom illegal; *Spiranthes africana Lindl. 1824
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Historie Particulier des Plantes Orchidees Recueilles Sur Trois Iles Australes d'Afrique Thouars 1822 as Satyrium spirale drawing fide; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854 as Herminium spirale; Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81; Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 4 193 to 256 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1973; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans, Du Puy, Cribb & Bosser 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009 photo; A la Recherche des Orchidees de Madagascar Hervouet 2018 photo fide;
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