Description d’une espèce nouvelle de Cynorkis Thouars (Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae) endémique de Mayotte (archipel des Comores, océan Indien)

A new species in the genus Cynorkis Thouars (Orchidaceae), Cynorkis benaraensis Vennetier, Traclet & Dimassi, sp. nov. is described for the island of Mayotte. This taxon is only known from 6 stations around the summit of Mount Bénara, the highest point of the island of Mayotte (660 m), from where it is endemic. It differs from the other Cynorkis species in section Gibbosorchis H.Perrier by a combination of several characteristics: foliage appearing after anthesis, tubers that can form long rhizomes on cliff, strongly glandular-hispid sepals, a pink labellum with a darker central spot, an almost exclusively rupicolous habit (on phonolite) and a flowering period during mid-June to mid-September. The description is based on herbarium material collected at these localities, as well as a living specimen grown in Mayotte at the Conservatoire botanique national de Mascarin (CBNM). The species’ threat status is estimated as vulnerable (VU) according to IUCN criteria.