Table 1. Comparison of Cynorkis christae and C. gigas
Cynorkis christae | Cynorkis gigas | |
|---|---|---|
Leaf | unspotted | generally spotted |
Inflorescence | c. 40 cm long | c. 30 cm long |
Floral bracts | \( \raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$3$}\right. \) the length of the ovary | almost as long as the ovary |
Flowers | 2 – 4 | 1 – 2 |
Lip | lobes oval rounded, completely white | lobes angular, white with a large deep-purple ‘W’ shape at the base |
Spur | 16 – 19 cm long, indistinctly swollen in the apical \( \raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$3$}\right. \) | 10 – 12 cm long, distinctly swollen in the apical \( \raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$4$}\right. \) |
Distribution | Mahajanga province, c. 600 m altitude | mainly Fianarantsoa province, concentrated around the Andringitra and Itremo Massifs, 1000 – 2000 m altitude |