Orchids of New Guinea

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Dendrobium paspalifolium

Dendrobium paspalifolium J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 52, pl. 11, 32.

Type: Docters van Leeuwen 10845; 10899 (syn BO).

Synonyms:

Chromatotriccum paspalifolium (J.J.Sm.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones, Orchadian 13 (2002) 495

Stems crowded, elongated, branching, slender, terete, 50 cm long, internodes 2.4 cm long. Leaf sheaths not verrucose. Leaves patent, narrowly linear, 5-8.5 by 0.2-0.3 cm, papyraceous, margins at the apex cartilaginous, ciliolate, apex acute. Inflorescences lateral, racemose, very short; peduncle 0.3 cm long, 4-flowered. Floral bracts triangular. Flowers c. 2.6 cm long. Dorsal sepal 1.1 cm by 6.3 mm; mentum conical, 1.65 cm long. Petals 1.1 cm by 4.4 mm. Lip when flattened 1.8 by 0.9 cm, for c. 1.3 cm adnate to the column-foot, apex cucullate, plicate, margin shortly and narrowly serrate-lacinulate. Column 0.35 cm long; column-foot 1.6 cm long, apical part covered with a membrane which is oblong-excised at the apex.
(after Smith, 1935).

Colours:

Flower orange, apices yellow.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in mossy montane forest. Altitude 2500-2600 m.

Distribution:

New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Puncak Jaya Regency).

Cultivation:

Intermediate growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

October.

Notes:

Dendrobium paspalifolium is one of the many relatives of Dendrobium subclausum, its main claim to distinction being based upon the very narrow leaves and the not warty leaf-sheaths.