Dendrobium johannis

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Dendrobium johannis
Dendrobium johannis.jpg
Illustration from Curtis's Botanical Magazine
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. johannis
Binomial name
Dendrobium johannis
Synonyms [1]

Dendrobium johannis, commonly known as the chocolate tea tree orchid, [2] is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid native to Australia and New Guinea. It has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs, between five and ten dark green leaves with purplish markings and flowering stems with up to fifteen chocolate brown flowers with a yellow labellum.

Contents

Illustration by Lewis Roberts. LR023 72dpi Dendrobium johannis.jpg
Illustration by Lewis Roberts.

Description

Dendrobium johannis is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with brownish or purplish pseudobulbs that are 100–300 mm (4–10 in) long, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide and tapered at both ends. There are between five and ten dark green to purplish leaves 100–200 mm (4–8 in) long and 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) wide near the upper end of the canes. Between six and fifteen flowers 25–45 mm (1–2 in) long, 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long. The flowers are chocolate brown with a bright yellow labellum, long lasting and have an unpleasant scent. The sepals and petals are thick, shiny and twisted, the sepals 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide and the petals a similar length but narrower. The labellum is 10–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide with three lobes. The side lobes are upright and the middle lobe is curved with three ridges along its midline. Flowering occurs from March to July. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Dendrobium johannis was first formally described in 1865 by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach who published the description in The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette from a specimen collected by John Gould Veitch. [5] [6] James Bateman noted the following: "Prof. Reichenbach being anxious to connect in some way the name of Mr John G. Veitch with that of a plant which forms one of his more remarkable discoveries, and being unable to call it Dendrobium Veitchianum because that name had long since been given by Dr. Lindley to another species of the genus discovered by Lobb, hit upon the ingenious device of making his Christian name the passport to immortality in the present instance. Certainly no one ever laboured harder in the cause of science or deserved the compliment better than the adventurous young traveller, who has already added so many new things to our collections, and who, we sincerely hope, may be spared to enrich them still more. [6]

This orchid is sometimes included in the genus Cepobaculum, [7] [8] but the splitting of Dendrobium into numerous genera has not typically been accepted. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Distribution and habitat

The chocolate tea tree orchid occurs in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea and in Australia from the tip of Cape York Peninsula to the McIlwraith Range and Coen. It is locally common at altitudes of between 50 and 600 m (200 and 2,000 ft) in open forest, swampy areas and monsoonal thickets. [2] [12] [4]

Conservation status

This orchid is classed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The main threat to the species is illegal collection. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Dendrobium antennatum, commonly known as the green antelope orchid, is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs with up to twelve leaves near their tips and up to fifteen white flowers with green petals and a white labellum with purple stripes. It grows in New Guinea and in tropical North Queensland where it is rare.

<i>Dendrobium bigibbum</i> Species of orchid from Australia and New Guinea

Dendrobium bigibbum, commonly known as the Cooktown orchid or mauve butterfly orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, each with between three and five green or purplish leaves and arching flowering stems with up to twenty, usually lilac-purple flowers. It occurs in tropical North Queensland, Australia and New Guinea.

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

Dendrobium discolor, commonly known as antler orchids, are epiphytic or lithophytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They have cylindrical pseudobulbs, each with between ten and thirty five leathery leaves, and flowering stems with up to forty mostly brownish or greenish flowers with wavy and twisted sepals and petals. Antler orchids occur in northern Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia and there are several subspecies and varieties.

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

Dendrobium jonesii, commonly known as the oak orchid is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to far north Queensland. It has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs, up to seven thin, dark green leaves and up to thirty five crowded, star-like, fragrant cream-coloured or white flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

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

Dendrobium tetragonum, commonly known as the tree spider orchid, is a variable species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Tree spider orchids are unusual in having pendulous pseudobulbs that are thin and wiry near the base then expand into a fleshy, four-sided upper section before tapering at the tip. There are only a few thin but leathery leaves at the end of the pseudobulbs and up to five flowers on relatively short flowering stems. To allow for the variations in the species there are five subspecies and a variety, some with a unique common name.

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

Dendrobium trilamellatum, commonly known as the fragrant tea tree orchid or large tea tree orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid found in northern Australia and New Guinea. It has spindle-shaped pseudobulbs, between three and seven leathery, dark green leaves and between three and fifteen yellow, yellowish brown or brown flowers with a mauve to purple labellum.

Dendrobium brachypus, commonly known as the dwarf cane orchid, 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.

<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 agrostophyllum</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium agrostophyllum, the buttercup orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has a creeping rhizome with well-spaced pseudobulbs. Each pseudobulb has up to twenty grass-like leaves, some of the leaves having flowering stems on the opposite side of the pseudobulb, each raceme with up to ten waxy, fragrant, bright yellow flowers. It grows in wet forest in coast areas of north Queensland, Australia.

Dendrobium fellowsii, commonly known as the native damsel orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has upright pseudobulbs, up to five leaves and groups of up to five pale green or yellowish flowers with a deep purple labellum. It grows in tropical North Queensland.

<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.

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

Dendrobium carronii, commonly known as the pink tea tree orchid, is a small epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cone-shaped or onion-shaped pseudobulbs, between two and four channelled, green to purplish leaves and up to twelve star-shaped, pink flowers with dark brown and purple markings. It grows in tropical North Queensland and New Guinea.

Dendrobium affine, commonly known as the white butterfly orchid, malakmalak or matngala in Australian Aboriginal languages is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, each with up to ten leaves and flowering stems with up to twenty white flowers with yellow or purple markings on the labellum. It occurs in northern Australia, New Guinea and Timor, where it grows on the bark of trees.

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

Dendrobium fleckeri, commonly known as the apricot cane orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to far north Queensland, Australia. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs with two or three dark green leaves and up to four apricot-coloured or yellowish green flowers with tangled white hairs on the edge of the labellum.

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

Dendrobium mirbelianum, commonly known as the dark-stemmed antler orchid or mangrove orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical, dark-coloured pseudobulbs with leathery, dark green leaves and up to twelve pale to dark brown flowers with a yellow labellum with dark red veins. This antler orchid occurs in northern Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.

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

Dendrobium nindii, commonly known as the blue antler orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has erect, cylindrical, leafy pseudobulbs with leathery, dark green leaves and up to twenty mauve or violet flowers with darker veins on the labellum. This antler orchid occurs in tropical North Queensland and New Guinea.

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.

Dendrobium radiatum, commonly known as the brushbox feather orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, up to three leathery, dark green leaves and up to eleven white flowers with purplish markings on the labellum.

Bryobium eriaeoides, commonly known as the brittle urchin orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic clump-forming orchid that has fleshy, green pseudobulbs, each with two leaves and between three and twelve cup-shaped white to purplish flowers but that sometimes remain closed. This orchid occurs in New Guinea and Queensland.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dendrobium johannis". 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. 382. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Factsheet - Cepobaculum johannis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Approved Conservation Advice for Dendrobium johannis" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  5. "Dendrobium johannis". APNI. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  6. 1 2 Reichenbach, Heinrich Gustav (1865). "New Plants". The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette. 38: 890. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  7. Clements, M.A. & Jones, D.L. (2002), Nomenclatural changes in the Dendrobieae (Orchidaceae) 1: The Australasian Region. The Orchadian 13(11)
  8. "Cepobaculum johannis". id.biodiversity.org.au. Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  9. Schuiteman, André (2011). "Dendrobium (Orchidaceae): To split or not to split?". Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. 63 (1 & 2): 245–257.
  10. Adams, Peter B. (June 2011). "Systematics of Dendrobiinae (Orchidaceae), with special reference to Australian taxa". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 166 (2): 105–126. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2011.01141.x .
  11. Xiang, Xiao-Guo; Schuiteman, André; Li, De-Zhu; Huang, Wei-Chang; Chung, Shih-Wen; Li, Jian-Wu; Zhou, Hai-Lang; Jin, Wei-Tao; Lai, Yang-Jun; Li, Zhen-Yu; Jin, Xiao-Hua (December 2013). "Molecular systematics of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae, Dendrobieae) from mainland Asia based on plastid and nuclear sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 69 (3): 950–960. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.06.009. PMID   23811435.
  12. 1 2 "Dendrobium johannis". Orchids of New Guinea. Retrieved 26 November 2018.