Cynorkis aurantiaca Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 22: 123 (1886).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Bicornella aurantiaca (Ridl.) Szlach. & Kras, Richardiana 6: 143 (2006).
Description:
Plants thin, 20-40 cm tall, tubers 2, elongated: leaf solitary, radical, narrow (8-20 x 3-4 mm) and glabrous; scape bristly-glandular with 4-5 sheaths all alike. Inflorescence thin, 5-15 cm tall, loose, rachis bristly-glandular; bracts hispid-glandular, the inferiors half as long as the pedicel, flowers bearing several glands on the external parts, of a pure white, with the labellum of a pretty yellow-orange. Median sepal 4 mm long, hood shaped, wide, slightly attenuate-obtuse, 1 veined, laterals slightly smaller (3.5 mm), adnate by their bases to the petals and the labellum. Petals (3.5 mm), dilate-rounded basally on the front margins. Labellum (6 mm) very concave basally, trilobed above medially; lateral lobes narrow and linear (2 x 0.7 mm), the median finely papillous, obtriangular, a third larger, 2.8 mm wide apically and mucronate and attenuate from the apex to the base; spur 4.3 mm long, slightly attenuate-obtuse. Anther spherical: staminodes wider than half the length of the anther; cauda b .3 mm long, dilate-winged, hyaline in the apical half; viscidiums white and oblong (0.4 mm); rostellum 2 mm long, tridentate in front: stigmas not separated, obviously joined. Pedicel 8 mm long, covered with pedicellate glands.
Habitat:
In the savoka on Philippia, from l800 m alt.; flowering in February.
Distribution:
C. Madagascar
