Genus Dendrobium section Phalaenanthe
Genus Dendrobium sect. Phalaenanthe Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 447. Type species: Dendrobium bigibbum Lindl.
Synonyms:
- Dendrobium sect . Dendrocoryne subsect. Bigibba Pfitzer in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. II, 6 (1889) 174. Type species: Dendrobium bigibbum Lindl.
- Dendrobium sect. Ceratobium subsect. Platypetala Kränzl. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV. 50. II. B. 21 (1910) 139. Type species: Dendrobium affine (Decne.) Steud. (basionym: 0nychium affine Decne.).
- Vappodes M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones, Orchadian 13 (2002) 492. Type species: Vappodes bigibba (Lindl. ) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones (basionym: Dendrobium bigibbum Lindl.).
Rhizome short. Stems clustered, cane-like, elongated, rather fleshy, not branching, with limited apical growth; apically with 3-9 leaves,. Leaves sheathing at the base, glabrous, usually coriaceous. Inflorescences lateral from the upper part of the stem or subterminal, racemose, elongate, erect, few- to many-flowered. Flowers medium-sized to rather large, resupinate, long-lived, showy, white or mauve-purple, infrequently bicoloured. Sepals not connate; mentum in lateral view bilobed, with a bulge in front and with a spur-like apical part. Petals much broader than the sepals. Lip not mobile, Lip 3-lobed, adnate to the column foot, forming a narrow conical spur-like structure, abruptly widened above that structure; at the base with low ridges and hair-like papillae.
Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia.
Genus Dendrobium section Phalaenanthe contains 3 species; in New Guinea 3 species.
Epiphytes in lowland forest and savannahs, in areas with a distinct dry season.
- Family Orchidaceae
- Subfamily Epidendroideae
- Tribe Dendrobieae
- Subtribe Dendrobiinae
- Genus Dendrobium
- Section Pedilonum
- Lavarack, B., W. Harris & G. Stocker. 2000. Dendrobium and its relatives. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.
Genus Dendrobium sect. Phalaenanthe Schltr. is from an economical point of view the most significant of the whole genus. One of its members, Dendrobium bigibbum, gave rise to numerous hybrids on which an enormous cut-flower industry depends. Most of these hybrids, however, involve selected forms of D. bigibbum Lindl. earlier known under the name Dendrobium phalaenopsis Fitzg., which do not occur in New Guinea. As a matter of fact, the distribution of Dendrobium bigibbum in New Guinea is very imperfectly known: we are not aware of any precise localities where a thriving population can be found. The two other species of this section, while attractive enough, are relatively unimportant horticulturally.
Section Phalaenanthe is undoubtedly closely related to section Spatulata, with which it hybridises easily, even in the wild. A good case could be made for uniting these sections. A fourth species formerly assigned to this section, Dendrobium williamsianum Rchb.f., is now considered to belong in section Spatulata.
Genus Dendrobium section Phalaenanthe contains 2 species and a natural hybrid, in New Guinea 2 species and a natural hybrid:
Dendrobium affine
Dendrobium bigibbum
Dendrobium x leeanum
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Genus Dendrobium section Phalaenanthe
Dendrobium bigibbum Lindl., flower, photo P. O'Byrne, based on O'Byrne D600