Dendrobium brevicaudum

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Mount Finnigan pencil 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. brevicaudum
Binomial name
Dendrobium brevicaudum
Synonyms [1]

Dendrobium brevicaudum, commonly known as the Mount Finnigan pencil orchid, [2] is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It has hanging stems, cylindrical leaves and groups of about six yellowish or orange-brown flowers with red streaks and a white labellum. It is only known from two mountainous areas north of Cairns.

Contents

Description

Dendrobium brevicaudum is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with pendulous stems and leaves. The stems are dark green to yellowish, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and up to 2 m (7 ft) long. The leaves are cylindrical, dark green 150–600 mm (6–20 in) long and 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Between five and eight flowers are arranged on a flowering stem 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long. The flowers are yellowish, brownish or orange-brown, 35–45 mm (1–2 in) long and wide with red streaks along the centre. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect, elliptic to egg-shaped, 17–20 mm (0.67–0.79 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped, curved 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in) long and about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. The petals are linear to narrow lance-shaped, 18–20 mm (0.7–0.8 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The labellum is whitish, 16–19 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide, is covered with short hairs and has three lobes. The side lobes are triangular and upright and the middle lobe is very wavy with three dark red ridges along its midline. Flowering occurs from December to January. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Dendrobium brevicaudum was first formally described in 1994 by David Jones and Mark Clements from a specimen collected on Mount Finnigan in the Ngalba Bulal National Park. [3] [5] The specific epithet (brevicaudum) is derived from the Latin words brevis meaning "short" [6] :166 and cauda meaning "tail" [6] :779 referring to the short tip of the labellum. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The Mount Finnigan pencil orchid grows on trees and granite boulders in rainforest and cloud forest at an elevation of above about 700 m (2,000 ft) on Mount Finnigan and nearby Mount Misery. [2] [3]

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dendrobium brevicaudum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 389. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Jones, David L.; Clements, Mark A. (1994). "A new species of Dendrobium Section Rhizobium (Orchidaceae) from Australia". Novon. 4 (2): 109–111. doi:10.2307/3391578. JSTOR   3391578 . Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  4. D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Factsheet - Dockrillia brevicauda". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  5. "Prasophyllum atratum". APNI. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  6. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.