Dendrobium aethalodes
Dendrobium aethalodes Ormerod, Orchadian 15 (2007) 418, fig.
Type: L.J. Brass 12424 (holo AMES).
Synonyms:
Epiphytic herb. Rhizome terete, strongly sclerified, covered in brownish sheaths which decay into fibrous remnants, 0.15- 0.3 cm thick. Roots terete, fleshy, 0.15-0.3 cm thick. Stems pendent, close together, terete, 45.7-49.1 by 0.09-0.17cm, lower third leafless, upper two-thirds laxly leaved; internodes 1-4.2 cm long, covered by leaf sheaths which are smooth and finely striate, older sheaths apparently becoming finely rugulose. Leaves linear-lanceolate, stiffly coriaceous, almost smooth to minutely transversely rugulose above, 5.5-8.6 by 0.35- 0.4 cm; apex unequally obtusely to acutely bilobed. Inflorescence emerging about halfway through the leaf sheath; peduncle terete, short, 0.1 5 cm long. Pedicellate ovary terete, shallowly sulcate, 0.5 cm long. Flowers fleshy. Median sepal oblong-elliptic, 0.7 by 0.4 cm; apex obtuse; 3-nerved. Lateral sepals somewhat transversely rectangular, 0.7 by 0.9 cm; apex obtuse; 7-nerved; mentum 0.6 cm long. Petals obliquely ligulate-subrhombic, 0.7 by 0.195 cm; apex subacute; 3- nerved. Lip when flattened obdeltate, 0.55-0.75-0.8 by 0.7-1.25 cm; lateral lobes obliquely trianguIar-subfaIcate with truncate front edge and subacute apex; callus oblong, thickly tricarinate, at each side of the base with a thick oblique extension onto the sides of the lip, obliquely truncate at base and apex. Column conical, 0.38 cm long (including anther cap); column foot 0.55-0.6 cm long. Capsule obovoid, 0.75 cm long.
(after Ormerod 2007)
Rhizome scales brownish. Leaves green above (suffused with sooty black, probably from an epiphyllous fungus), green below; sheaths yellow spotted with brown to black. Flowers bright sulphur yellow or yellow with the lip tinged red and the column red.
River valley forest. Altitude 1800 m,
Malesia (New Guinea)
Indonesia (Papua province, Sarmi Regency); Papua New Guiinea (Central Province).
Cool growing epiphyte.
January, May.
- Family Orchidaceae
- Subfamily Epidendroideae
- Tribe Dendrobieae
- Subtribe Dendrobiinae
- Genus Dendrobium
- Section Biloba
- Species Dendrobium aethalodes
Dendrobium aethalodes differs from the closely related D. subbilobatum Schltr. in the relatively narrower leaves (0.35-0.4 cm versus 0.4-0,5 cm) and flowers that have a tricarinatecallus on the lip (not unicarinate), with basal extensions connate to the sides of the lip. The original descroption was based on a specimen with immature flowers.
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Dendrobium aethalodes
Dendrobium aethalodes Ormerod. Drawing by Paul Ormerod in Orchadian 15 (2007) 418, fig., based on the type: L.J. Brass 12424.