Disperis discifera var. borbonica (H.Perrier) Bosser, Adansonia, III, 24: 65 (2002).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Disperis borbonica H.Perrier, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 5: 228 (1936).
Description:
A slender moisture-loving, terrestrial plant, 10- 30 cm tall. Leaves two, alternate, lanceolate, rounded and amplexicaul at the base, acute at the apex, sessile, 1.6-4 cm long, 0.6-2 cm wide, inserted on the middle part of the stem. Inflorescence with 1-3 flowers. Flowers pale rose with green marks at the base of the hood. Hood 6-7 × 7-8 mm, concave, rounded or subquadrate at apex. Lateral sepals 6.5-7.5(-8) mm long. Lip with an ovate-acute apical appendage, 1.5- 1.8 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, covered on its upper side by short yellow papillae, the apex with a short glabrous point..
Habitat:
Under trees in humid forests and ericaceous scrub, in Madagascar in the Ankaratra massif it also grows in pine (Pinus patula) plantations; 1200-2350 m.
Notes:
This variety is very similar in habit and lip morphology to the typical Disperis discifera, but its flowers are much smaller. The two varieties are sympatric in the Ankaratra Massif. This variety has not been found recently in La Réunion, the collections from there are all over a century old.
Distribution:
Madagascar, La Réunion.
