Prev Taxon: Genus Dendrobium section Fugacia
Current Genus: Genus Dendrobium Section Grastidium
Next Taxon: Genus Dendrobium section Herpetophytum
Dendrobium caladenia
Dendrobium caladenia Ormerod, Checkl. Papuasian Orch. (2017) 189, 473 (fig.).
Type: Floyd & Womersley 6762 (holo AMES; iso BRI, LAE).
Synonyms:
Epiphytic herb. Roots and rhizome not seen. Stem slender, elliptic in section, laxly leafy, fragment 34 by 0.2 cm, 0.1 cm thick; branches short, to 6.2 cm long; exposed part of internodes 0.3-2.5 cm long. Leaves narrowly ligulate-lanceolate, thin, obliquely erect, 5.8-6.5 by 0.4-0.45 cm; leaf sheaths tubular, smooth, finely striate, 1.5-2.4 cm long, its apex with a triangular, 0.2-0.25 cm long lobe with acute apex; apex with 2 minute obtuse unequal-sized lobes; 3-nerved. Inflorescence 2-flowered; peduncle 0.6 cm long; basal inflorescence scales: 1st transversely oblong, 0.15 by 0.25-0.45 cm, 2nd oblong, gently upcurved, 0.35-0.45 by 0.2-0.25 cm, with obtuse apex; 3rd narrowly oblong, slightly upcurved, 0.6 cm long, with obtuse apex. Pedicel and ovary club-shaped, 0.8 cm long. Median sepal linear-lanceolate, 3.9 by 0.5 cm; apex acute; 7-nerved. Lateral sepals in lower half obliquely ovate-lanceolate, upper half linear, 3.9 by 0.85 cm; apex acute; 7-nerved; mentum obtuse, 0.65 cm long. Petals in lower third ligulate, further linear, 4 by 0.25 cm ; apex acute; 5-nerved. Lip 3-lobed, 1.28 cm long; hypochile 0.5 by 0.78 cm; inside with scattered terete to subulate projections, keels 5, the outer 4 very short and basal, the median keel plate-like, its margin grooved, as long as the hypochile, lateral lobes short, triangular, 0.12 cm long (along inside margin), with acute apex; epichile broadly ovate, 0.78 by 0.78 cm (0.88 m wide over the tips of the projections), its margin irregularly dentate-lacerate with club-shaped to lanceolate, apically obtuse to lobulate projections, surface laxly covered with minute hair-like to lobulate projections, with acute apex. Column stout, semiterete, each margin with a small transversely rectangular, shallowly emarginate lobule, 0.4 cm long (0.3 cm without the anther); column foot gently curved, concave, 0.8 cm long.
(after Ormerod, 2017)).
Flowers pink with magenta stripes, lip with numerous club-like, dark reddish black protuberances, the upper half of the lateral lobes is magenta (in rehydrated flowers), the keel edged purple-black, and the column foot inside with magenta stippling.
Not recorded. Altitude 2135 m.
Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands Prov.). See map
Cool growing epiphyte.
November.
- Family Orchidaceae
- Subfamily Epidendroideae
- Tribe Dendrobieae
- Subtribe Dendrobiinae
- Genus Dendrobium
- Section Grastidium
- Species Dendrobium caladenia
Dendrobium caladenia Ormerod is superficially similar to D. beleense Ormerod but differs in the pink flowers with magenta stripes (versus yellow-green flowers flecked with purple-brown), a stouter column, and an unadorned, simple, concave column foot (versus column foot with a raised concave protuberance).
Dendrobium caladenia Ormerod is named for the resemblance of the flowers to certain species of the genus Caladenis R. Br. (e.g. C. huegelii Rchb.f.).
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Dendrobium caladenia
Dendrobium caladenia Ormerod, drawing by Paul Ormerod, in Checkl. Papuasian Orch. (2017) 189, 473 (fig.).