Benthamia nigrescens Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 34(2): 301 (1916).
Synonyms:
Benthamia nigrescens subsp. typica H.Perrier, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 81: 30 (1934), nom. inval.
Description:
Plants epiphytic, generally 30 cm tall; tubers numerous and narrow: stem bearing 2-3 leaves above the base, distant and taller than the sheaths and with the limbus lanceolate acute, gradually smaller. Leaves oblong-lanceolate (nearly 9 x 2.8 cm), attenuate-acute apically. Rachis very dense, with numerous flowers, slightly obviously unilateral, generally 15 cm long, bracts lanceolate-acute, 1 veined, the inferiors longer than the flowers, the superiors shorter, flowers greenish, very large (5-5.5 mm long without the ovary). Median sepal lanceolate-lingulate (5-5.5 x l mm , the laterals slightly wider and shorter, shortly joined by their front margins, petals lingulate (5.2-5.6 x 1.5 mm), obtuse, 3 veined in the lower 2/3, attenuate and thick in the upper third. Labellum lingulate-obtuse (5.2-5.7 x 1 .6 mm), 3 veined basally, thick and contracted apically; spur scrotiform, slightly wider than long (1.5 x 1 .6 mm). Anther subglobulous, obtuse, l mm tall: staminodes linear, subfalciform, obviously longer than the anther. Pedicel 6 mm long.
Habitat:
Growing on trees or moss covered rocks, between 2000 and 2400 m alt.;
Flowering:
February-April.
Distribution:
Réunion, Madagascar
References:
Flora Of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans, Du Puy, Cribb & Bosser 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph ©Frederic Henze. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Frederic Henze. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Frederic Henze. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Frederic Henze. Image used with kind permission.