Species Information - Dendrobium tropidophorum

Dendrobium tropidophorum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 460; 21 (1923) t. 155, fig. 580.

Type: Schlechter 17203 (holo B, lost).

Synonyms:

• Diplocaulobium tropidophorum (Schltr.) A.D.Hawkes, Lloydia 20 (1957) 130.

Rhizome to 40 cm long, pendulous, covered with scales that soon split into fibres, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs widely spaced, 1-leaved, cylindrical, somewhat narrowed to the apex, 4- to 6-angled, 2-2.7 by 0.4-0.5 cm. Leaves elliptic-ligulate, 4.5-7.5 by 0.7-1.1 cm, gradually narrowed to the base, apex unequally and obtusely bilobulate. Inflorescences arising in succession from the apex of the pseudobulb, 1-flowered, appearing in succession; spathe laterally compressed, 5-8 mm long, soon splitting into fibres. Pedicel and ovary 1.8 cm long, subclavate-cylindrical, glabrous. Flower resupinate, c. 2 cm across. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, widened to the base, 1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals subfalcate-lanceolate, widened to the base, 1 cm long, apex obtusely acuminate; mentum 4 mm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely linear, slightly narrowed below the middle, c. 0.9 cm long, apex acute; glabrous. Lip narrowly oblong-ligulate, very weakly 3-lobed above the middle, 1 by 0.38 cm, with 3 almost parallel keels extending from the base to a little below the apex, the keels rather widely spaced, the laterals wavy in the centre. Column short, glabrous, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules short, unequally bidentate, the median linear and a little longer; column-foot slender, 4 mm long. Anther subglobose-cucullate, truncate in front, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

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