Cynorkis monadenia H.Perrier, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 8: 33 (1939).
Descriptions:
Plants 20-35 cm, tall leaves 2, radical, flat against the ground, very widely oval-sub-orbicular (8-13 x 7-11 cm), very narrowly contracted at the narrow base, obtuse or very shortly apiculate-obtuse apically, brown or blackish when dried, 25-35 veined, curving and emarginate. Scape glabrous, upright with 5-6 sheath-like catophylls, elongated with a narrow-acute limbus, the lower one slightly shorter than the internodes, the upper ones equal. Raceme sub-cylindrical (5-6 x 2-2.5 cm), very dense, totally apical, bearing numerous pedicellate glands on the rachis and ovaries, more rarely on the bracts and external parts of the flower; bracts lanceolate-acute, 10-12 mm long, 1 veined, equaling about 3/4 the length of the ovary. Median sepal helmet shaped, very enlarged, glabrous-rounded basally (4 mm place), very concave, 7 mm long, attenuate then sub-acuminate-obtuse from the lower quarter of the apex; 3 veined, the laterals obsolete. Lateral sepals flat, slightly oblique, semi-obovate (7 x 2.5 mm), obtuse, 3 veined, porrect and joined to the base of the column. Petals spatulate (8 x 2.2 mm apically), very narrow and adnate to the column in the lower half, enlarged marginally above the middle, oblique, very unequal lateral, obtuse, porrect and 2 veined basally, simple, to 3 times bifurcated apically. Labellum entire, lanceolate-obtuse (7 x 2 mm basally, flat), plaice, hull shaped with the margins pendent, consequently, very concave below; with 4-5 bifurcating veins quite visible, not reaching the edge from the very thick center; spur 6 mm, oriface very wide (2.5 mm) and compressed, abruptly contracted-cylindrical below (l mm), then swollen in an oval-globe (3.5 x 2 mm). Anther straight (1.5-2 mm), rounded apically; lobes connivent; pollina oval; cauda joined by a common viscidium, oval (1 x .8 mm), black, canaliculate above, placed just below a small rostrum at the tip of the rostellum. Staminodes spatulate, adnate laterally to the rostellum, not more than 2/3 the length of the rostellum. Rostellum horizontal, 5 mm long. attenuate and plaice in a hull shape in front, the margins of the lower half incurved, forming a channel, rejoining the viscidium, provided above with a median ked, attenuate to the anther and more projecting in front (5 mm long), or abruptly truncate, then elongated by a small 5 mm long) incurved, gutter-shaped rostrum with the viscidium. Stigmas all inclusive, in 2 slightly narrowed laminas, joined by their external margins, 2 mm long not longer than half the rostellum. Ovary attenuate basally, 13-16 mm long, bristly with pedicelate glands.
Habitat:
On rocks (quartz), between 1600-1800 m alt.; flowering in February.
Distribution:
SE. Madagascar
