A key to the species of Bonatea
| 1 | Leaves in a basal rosette | 2 |
| 1b | Leaves cauline, not in a basal rosette | 3 |
| 2 | Spur 20-47 mm long | Bonatea polypodantha |
| 2b | Spur 53-70 mm long | Bonatea pulchella |
| 3 | Spur >74 mm | 4 |
| 3b | Spur <69 mm | 5 |
| 4 | Lip lateral lobes 35-60 mm long | Bonatea steudneri |
| 4b | Lip lateral lobes 106-135 mm long | Bonatea lamprophylla |
| 5 | Leaves withered at flowering time | 6 |
| 5b | Leaves not withered at flowering time | 7 |
| 6 | Lip median lobe straight; rostellum elongate-rostrate | Bonatea stereophylla |
| 6b | Lip median lobe geniculate; rostellum cucullate | Bonatea porrecta |
| 7 | Tooth lacking in spur mouth | Bonatea rabaiensis |
| 7b | Tooth present in spur mouth | 8 |
| 8 | Rostellum lateral lobes longer than median lobe | Bonatea volkensiana |
| 8b | Rostellum lateral lobes shorter than median lobe | 9 |
| 9 | Leaves linear-lanceolate; rostellum median lobe narrowly cucullate; bracts dry at anthesis | 10 |
| 9b | Leaves ovate, oblong or broadly lanceolate; rostellum median lobe cucullate; bracts green at anthesis | 11 |
| 10 | Lower petal lobes ( 13-) 16-24x0.5-2.0(-3.0) mm; lip lateral lobes 0.5-2.0 mm wide | Bonatea saundersioides |
| 10b | Lower petal lobes 8-15(-19)x(1.5-)3.0-8.0 mm; lip lateral lobes (1.5)2.0-6.5 mm wide | Bonatea cassidea |
| 11 | Clavate apex of spur > 15 mm long; lower petal lobe >2 mm wide; lower petal lobes projecting forwards and deflexed | Bonatea speciosa |
| 11b | Clavate apex of spur < 15 mm long; lower petal lobe <2 mm wide | 12 |
| 12 | Lower petal lobe (18-)24-43 x 0.5-2.0 mm, projecting forwards and ascending; stigmatic processes (11 —) 15—22 mm long | Bonatea antennifera |
| 12b | Lower petal lobes 11 24(—28) x 0.5-2.0(-2.5) mm, spreading horizontally; stigmatic processes 8-15 mm long | Bonatea boltonii |
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ 12/12/2013
