Species Information - Dendrobium decumbens

Dendrobium decumbens Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 637; 21 (1928) t. 214, fig. 810.

Type: Schlechter 16652 (B, lost; BO); 17296 (B, lost; iso AD, AMES, BO, E, K, L, NSW, S).Schlechter 17292 (holo B, lost).

Synonyms:

• Herpetophytum decumbens (Schltr.) Rauschert, Feddes Repert. 94 (1983) 454.

Rhizome elongated, stem-like, decumbent, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems erect to ascending, rooting at the base, slender, much branched, to 20 cm by 1-1.5 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 0.1-0.15 cm wide, entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, linear, 1-1.8 by 0.2-0.25 cm, apex obtuse, minutely unequally bilobulate, carnose. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 1-flowered, sessile. Floral bract very small, much shorter than the pedicel and ovary. Pedicel and ovary 0.4 cm long, glabrous. Flower not resupinated, c. 0.7 cm long. Dorsal sepal oblong, 0.5 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, sublobate-widened at the base, 0.5 cm long, apex obtuse; coherent along their entire length, mentum sac-like, oblongoid, c. 0.25 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely elliptic-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed near the apex, from the ligulate basal claw gradually widened to the apex, 0.5 by 0.2 cm, inside pubescent, in apical half with two lamellae which are widened in the middle; lateral lobes divergent, ovate-triangular, subacute; midlobe a little longer, broadly triangular, apiculate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded, the median slightly longer, triangular; column-foot incurved, c. 0.25 cm long. Anther quadrangular-cucullate, glabrous, in front truncate.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

INFRASPECIFIC TAXA

Dendrobium decumbens Schltr. var. stenophyllum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 638.

Differs from var. decumbens by the longer and narrower, subacute leaves.

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