Orchids of New Guinea

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Dendrobium woodsii

Dendrobium woodsii P.J.Cribb, Orchadian 6 (1981) 282, fig. 3, 3, 3a.

Type: Woods 3221 (holo K; iso E).

Synonyms:

Sayeria woodsii (P.J.Cribb) Rauschert, Feddes Repert. 94 (1983) 468.

An epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs clustered, fusiform-clavate, up to 40 cm long, 10-13 mm in diameter, about 5-noded, yellowish green, clothed with persistent sheaths when young, two-leaved at apex. Leaves suberect to spreading, coriaceous, sessile to very shortly petiolate, elliptic, acute, up to 18 by 3.5 cm, glossy dark green above. Inflorescences apical or through base of leaf sheaths, as long as or shorter than the leaves, arcuate to pendulous, 4-7-flowered; peduncle wiry, terete, 1 mm diam.; bracts semi-amplexicaul, ovate-deltoid, acute, 3-4 mm long. Flowers pendent. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, obtuse or emarginate at apex, about 8 by 5 mm; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-oblong, obtuse, about 12 by 6 mm; mentum saccate, about 5-6 mm long. Petals linear-spathulate, subfalcate, truncate or rounded at apex, 10 by 2-3 mm, with erose margins towards apex. Lip flabellate in outline, about 15 by 15-17 mm; side-lobes spreading, oblong, obliquely truncate; midlobe longer than side-lobes, bilobulate, with each lobule oblong-obovate, obtuse; callus raised, fleshy, obscurely three-ridged, acute at apex. Column short, 3 mm long; foot about 10 mm long, incurved, adnate to the lateral sepals; anther cap subglobose.
(after Cribb, 1983).

Colours:

Sepals and petals white tinged green; lip pink with darker pink at the base; pedicel and ovary white.

Habitat:

Epiphytic in montane forest. Altitude 500 to 2000 m.

Distribution:

New Guinea.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (easternmost part).

Map: Dendrobium woodsii P.J.Cribb, distribution map, redrawn from P. Cribb, Kew Bull. 38 (1983) 289, map 7.

Cultivation:

Intermediate growing epiphyte.

Classification:

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

Literature:

Cribb, P.J. 1983. Kew Bull. 38: 300, fig. 18E, F, pl. 14E, F, map 7.
Taylor, P. & J.J. Wood. 1977. Curtis's Bot. Mag. 181: t. 727 (as Dendrobium fantasticum auct. non L.O.Williams: P.Taylor & J.J.Wood).

Notes:

Dendrobium woodsii P.J.Cribb is an attractive species, similar to Dendrobium amphigenyum Ridl. but differs markedly in its lip shape and callus structure. In Dendrobium amphigenyum the lip midlobe does not exceed the side-lobes and is divided into two tapering acute lobules.

Dendrobium woodsii P.J.Cribb was named in honour of Mr. P. Woods, of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, who collected the type specimen and who wrote, together with T.M. Reeve, an excellent revision of Dendrobium section Oxyglossum.
(largely after Cribb, 1983).