Cynorkis lindleyana Hermans, Orchids Madagascar, ed. 2: 155 (2007).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Bicornella gracilis Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 334 (1835).
Cynorkis gracilis (Lindl.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 51 (1924), nom. illeg.
Imerinorchis gracilis (Lindl.) Szlach., Orchidee (Hamburg) 56: 69 (2005).
Description:
Thin herbs, roots slightly fleshy, without tubers; leaves 3-5, developed an the lower half of the stem, shorter than the scape, linear-acuminate, inflorescence base, flowers more or less numerous, small and purplish; bracts often shorter than the pedicel. Median sepal hood shaped with the petals: laterals falcate, obtuse. Labellum entire, slightly pandurate, slightly dilate above the base and apically obtuse; spur sub cylindrical, wide basally and slightly contracted medially, 7-9 mm long, equaling or slightly shorter than the pedicel. Anther (1.5 mm) obtuse; cauda very long (4rnm.) for the flower, thick for the pollina; viscidiums brown, flat-oval (0.4 mm) and thick; staminodes oblique, free, 2 mm long in an obovate lamina apically. Rostellum arms 4 mm long, flat, wide and bilobulate apically, internal lobule short and very obtuse, the external elongated in an oblique horn; median lobe reduced to a small obtuse bump, at the bane of the connective appendage of the anther. Stigmas inclusive and joined their entire length. Pedicel glabrous, 9 mm long.
Habitat:
In marshes, prairies in humid areas, from 1400-2200 m alt.; flowering in December-April; common.
Distribution:
C. Madagascar
