Dendrobium brachypus

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Norfolk Island orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Dendrobieae
Genus: Dendrobium
Species:
D. brachypus
Binomial name
Dendrobium brachypus
(Endl.) Rchb.f. (1877) [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Callista brachypus(Endl.) Kuntze
  • Thelychiton brachypusEndl. (1833)

Dendrobium brachypus, commonly known as the dwarf cane orchid, [2] is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has crowded, yellowish green pseudobulbs, dark green leaves and two or three cream-coloured to whitish or greenish flowers which often do not open fully. It grows on trees and rocks on one mountain on Norfolk Island.

Contents

Description

Dendrobium brachypus is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with crowded, yellowish green pseudobulbs 5–50 mm (0.2–2 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Each pseudobulb has between two and four dark green, egg-shaped to elliptic leaves 7–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) long and 4–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. The flowering stems are 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long and bear two or three cream-coloured to whitish or greenish flowers with thick ovaries. The flowers are 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and wide, self-pollinating and usually do not open widely. The sepals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, the petals a similar length but only about half as wide. The labellum is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and is unlobed. Flowering occurs between August and October. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The Norfolk Island orchid was first formally described in 1833 by Stephan Endlicher who gave it the name Thelychiton brachypus and published the description in Prodromus Florae Norfolkicae . [5] [6] In 1877 Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach changed the name to Dendrobium brachypus. [7] The specific epithet (brachypus) is derived from ancient Greek words meaning "short" [8] :708 and "foot", [8] :620 alluding to the relatively short pseudobulbs of this orchid, in contrast to those of Dendrobium macropus , described by Endlicher in the same publication. [3] [9]

Distribution and habitat

Dendrobium brachypus is endemic to the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea, where it grows on rocks and trees in forest on the slopes of Mount Pitt. [3]

Conservation

This orchid is rare and listed as endangered under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). [10] [11]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Dendrobium jonesii</i> Species of orchid

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Bulbophyllum argyropus, commonly known as the silver strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic or sometimes lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia, including Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. It has crowded pseudobulbs, tough, dark green leaves and up to four small whitish to yellowish flowers with an orange labellum.

<i>Dendrobium smillieae</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Dendrobium moorei</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium moorei, commonly known as the drooping cane orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, leathery, dark green leaves and between two and fifteen small, white drooping flowers that do not open widely.

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<i>Dendrobium adae</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium adae, commonly known as the slender cane orchid, is an epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, up to four dark green leaves and up to six white or greenish to apricot-coloured flowers. It grows in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

<i>Dendrobium bifalce</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium bifalce, commonly known as the native bee orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs with up to four leathery leaves and up to ten pale green or greenish yellow flowers with purplish markings. It grows on trees and boulders in rainforest in tropical North Queensland, Australia and in New Guinea.

<i>Dendrobium canaliculatum</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium canaliculatum, commonly known as the brown tea tree orchid or thin tea tree orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cone-shaped or onion-shaped pseudobulbs, up to six deeply channelled, dark green leaves and up to thirty star-shaped, light brown to caramel-coloured white or greenish to apricot-coloured flowers with darker tips. It grows in tropical North Queensland and New Guinea.

Dendrobium rigidum, commonly known as the smooth tongue orchid or smooth tick orchid, is a species of orchid native to tropical North Queensland and to New Guinea. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with wiry, hanging stems, fleshy, dark green leaves and flowering stems with between two and seven crowded, cream-coloured, star-shaped flowers often with pink or red on the back. It grows on trees, shrubs and rocks in a paperbark swamps and rainforest.

Dendrobium clementsii, commonly known as the Cape York crimp orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland, Australia. It has long stems, tapering pseudobulbs each with a thin, leathery dark green leaf and clusters of short-lived, cream-coloured flowers with a purple labellum.

Dendrobium biconvexum, commonly known as the Mount Windsor rock orchid, is a species of lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland, Australia. It has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs, between two and four thick, leathery leaves and up to seventy five white or cream-coloured flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

Dendrobium coriaceum, commonly known as the inland rock orchid, is a species of lithophytic orchid that is endemic to North Queensland. It has tapered pseudobulbs, up to three thick, leathery leaves and up to forty yellow or cream-coloured flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

Dendrobium epiphyticum, commonly known as the Illawarra rock orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has tapered or cylindrical pseudobulbs, up to five thick, leathery leaves and up to fifty cream-coloured or pale yellow flowers with reddish purple markings on the labellum.

Dendrobium rupicoloides, commonly known as the northern rock orchid, is a species of lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has tapered green to reddish pseudobulbs, up to three thick, leathery leaves and up to fifty white flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

Dendrobium neospectabile, commonly known as the Eungella king orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has cylindrical, yellowish green pseudobulbs, up to three thick, leathery leaves and up to two hundred and fifty crowded cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers with reddish purple streaks on the labellum.

Dendrobium deuteroeburneum, commonly known as the rainforest feather orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. Its pseudobulbs are cylindrical, pressed against the host tree or rock and have one or two leathery, dark green leaves and up to seven pale greenish cream-coloured flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

<i>Phreatia limenophylax</i> Species of orchid

Phreatia limenophylax, commonly known as the Norfolk Island caterpillar orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is an epiphyte with four to six fleshy, channelled leaves in a fan-like arrangement. A large number of tiny white flowers are arranged along a thin flowering stem. It is found on the Solomon Islands, Norfolk Island and on some other islands of the southwest Pacific.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dendrobium brachypus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 403–404. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 "Dendrobium brachypus". Flora of Australia online. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  4. Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1994). Oceanic Islands 1. Flora of Australia 49: 1-681. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
  5. "Thelychiton brachypus". APNI. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  6. Endlicher, Stephan (1833). Prodromus Florae Norfolkicae. New York. p. 33. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  7. "Dendrobium brachypus". APNI. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  8. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  9. Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1994). Oceanic Islands 1. Flora of Australia 49: 1-681. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
  10. "Endangered Norfolk Island Flora species". Australian government department of the Environment. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  11. " Thelychiton brachypus". SPRAT Profile. Department of the Environment: Canberra. 2013-07-16. Retrieved 2014-02-14.