Orchids of New Guinea

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Dendrobium globiflorum

Dendrobium globiflorum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 621; 21 (1928) t. 209, fig. 789.

Type: Schlechter 17141 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BM, BO 2x, E, G, K, L 3x, MO, NSW, S).

Synonyms:

Eriopexis globiflora (Schltr.) Rauschert, Feddes Repert. 94 (1983) 447.

Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, patent, strongly laterally flattened, unbranched, to 90 cm by 13 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 1.3 cm wide, entirely covering the stem, ancipitous. Leaves suberect, elliptic-ligulate to elliptic, 10-12 by 2.7-3.4 cm, base subpetiolate, apex obtuse, keeled below. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, subsessile, 2-flowered, spathe very short, laterally compressed, broadly obtuse. Ovary 1.3 cm long, glabrous. Flowers c. 4 cm across. Dorsal sepal elliptic, 2.4 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate, much widened at the base, 2.4 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum subglobose, 1.5 cm wide. Petals obliquely elliptic-spathulate, c. 2.3 cm long, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed near the apex, broadly cuneate-reniform in outline, 1.1 by 1.3 cm, at the base with bearded papillae, inside, except along the lateral margins, rather densely covered with subulate papillae; lateral lobes rounded, broadly obtuse; midlobe slightly longer, 3-lobulate, the lobules obtuse, the median longer than the lateral lobules. Column short, only a little narrowed to the apex; column-foot very long, incurved, gradually narrowing to the apex. Anther reniform-cucullate, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours:

Flower white, the papillae at the base of the lip orange-red, column yellow with a darker, striped foot.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in montane forest. Altitude 1000 to 2150 m.

Distribution:

New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Sorong and Jayapura Regencies); Papua New Guinea (Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Madang, and East New Britain Provinces).

Map: Dendrobium globiflorum Schltr., distribution map.

Cultivation:

Intermediate growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

January, February, June, September-December.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Dendrobiinae
Genus Dendrobium
Section Grastidium
Species Dendrobium globiflorum

Notes:

Dendrobium globiflorum Schltr. belongs to a group of species, all with white flowers, a long incurved column-foot, and strongly flattened stems, that Schlechter united in a section of its own, which he called Eriopexis. We prefer to keep these species in section Grastidium, because of the inflorescence type and the short life of the flowers, both character states of this section.