Orchids of New Guinea

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Dendrobium hodgkinsonii

Dendrobium hodgkinsonii Rolfe ex Hook.f., Bot. Mag. 126 (1900) t. 7724.

Type: Sander cult. s.n. (holo K).

Synonyms:

Sayeria hodgkinsonii (Rolfe ex Hook.f.) Rauschert, Feddes Repert. 94 (1983) 467.

An epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs clavate or subclavate, about 4-5-noded below leaves, 9-30 by 0.6-1.8 cm, yellow, 2-3-leaved at apex. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 11-15 by 2-4 cm. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, erect or spreading, 2-5-flowered, up to 15 cm long bracts elliptic, acute, 7-9 cm long. Flowers large, spreading to subnutant. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, acute, 2.7 by 0.8 cm; lateral sepals, obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, 2.6 by 1.3 cm; mentum conical, 1 cm long. Petals linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 2.8 by 0.5 cm, with undulate margins. Lip 3-lobed, 3.3 by 2.4 cm; side-lobes erect, semicircular; midlobe much longer than side-lobes, ovate, acuminate and slightly recurved at apex; callus three-ridged, not raised at apex. Column short, 3.5 mm long, with an acute stelidium on each side at apex; foot straight, 1 cm long.
(after Cribb, 1983).

Colours:

The leaves are dull dark green, lighter green below, and covered by a glaucous-grey powdery substance which easily rubs off. Sepals creamy yellow; petals white; lip yellow, heavily veined with maroon; callus white.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in lower montane forest.

Distribution:

New Guinea (endemic)

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (East New Britain Prov., Bougainville).

Cultivation:

Probably warm growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

Not known.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Dendrobiinae
Genus Dendrobium
Section Latouria
Species Dendrobium hodgkinsonii

Notes:

Dendrobium hodgkinsonii Rolfe ex Hook.f. is similar to Dendrobium spectabile Blume and Dendrobium alexandrae Schltr. The type material was said to originate from New Guinea, it was later found in East New Britain Province by De Vogel and Howcroft in 2007. This poorly known species was found for the first time since its original description on the island of Bougainville by Mr. Barry Middlemiss, around 1985 (Howcroft 1995).