Orchids of New Guinea

Prev Taxon: Genus Dendrobium section Diplocaulobium subsection Cadetioides

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Jump:

Dendrobium pililobum

Dendrobium pililobum J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 34; Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 293, t. 107, fig. 190.

Type: Bogor cult. (Gjellerup) 312 (holo BO).

Synonyms:

Diplocaulobium pililobum (J.J.Sm.) P.F.Hunt & Summerh., Taxon 10 (1961) 109.

Pseudobulbs rather crowded, 1-leaved, base fusiform, 2-2.2 by 0.65-0.7 cm, upper part very slender, c. 4-6 cm long. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 8-10 by 1.35-1.6 cm, coriaceous, apex 2-dentate. Inflorescences 1-flowered, spathe 0.8-0.9 by 0.18 cm. Pedicel 7 cm long; ovary 0.45 cm long. Flower c. 6-7 cm across. Dorsal sepal (3.3-)4.7 cm by 4.8 mm; mentum c. 0.67 cm long. Petals 4.4 cm by 2.5 mm. Lip 3-lobed, 2 by 0.6 cm, with 2 verruculose-papillose keels, on the midlobe with a narrow, cushion-like, papillose callus; midlobe 1.2 by 0.38 cm. Column 0.35 cm long; column-foot 0.75.
(after Smith, 1916).

Colours:

Sepals and petals white, in apical half yellow, lip white, the lateral lobes with transverse brown-purple stripes, the midlobe pale yellowish with sparse dark purple spots.

Habitat:

Presumably epiphyte in lowland forest.

Distribution:

New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Jayapura Regency).

Cultivation:

Warm growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

Not known.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Dendrobiinae
Genus Dendrobium
Section Diplocaulobium
Subsection Diplocaulobium
Species Dendrobium pililobum

Literature:

Smith, J.J. 1929. Nova Guinea 14, 3: 403.

Notes:

Dendrobium pililobum J.J.Sm. is one of the many relatives of Dendrobium phalangium Schltr. Smith (1929), commenting on the variability of the material he examined, suggested it may be conspecific with Dendrobium aratriferum J.J.Sm.