Dendrobium racemosum

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Erect pencil orchid
LR031 72dpi Dendrobium racemosum.jpg
Illustration by Lewis Roberts
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. racemosum
Binomial name
Dendrobium racemosum
Synonyms [1]

Dendrobium racemosum, commonly known as the erect pencil orchid, [2] is a species of orchid endemic to tropical North Queensland. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with yellowish stems, cylindrical dark green leaves and flowering stems with between eight and fifteen cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers with a thread-like tip on the labellum. It grows on trees and rocks in exposed positions in highland areas and in the tops of rainforest trees at lower altitudes.

Contents

Description

Dendrobium racemosum is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with yellowish stems 0.2–1 m (0.7–3 ft) long and about 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide with few branches. The leaves are cylindrical, dark green, 80–200 mm (3–8 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) wide with a shallow groove. The flowering stem emerges from a single leaf base, is 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long and bears between eight and fifteen cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers. The flowers are 18–22 mm (0.71–0.87 in) long, 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) wide with the sepals and petals curving outwards as they age. The sepals are 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long, about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide and the petals are a similar length but only half as wide. The labellum is about 20 mm (0.8 in) long and 6 mm (0.2 in) wide with small side lobes and a long tapered middle lobe with wavy edges. Flowering occurs from September to October. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The erect pencil orchid was first formally described in 1936 by William Henry Nicholls who gave it the name Dendrobium beckleri var. racemosum and published the description in The North Queensland Naturalist. [4] In 1964 Stephen Clemesha and Alick Dockrill raised the variety to species status. [5] The specific epithet (racemosum) is a Latin word meaning "full of clusters". [6]

Distribution and habitat

Dendrobium racemosum grows on trees and rocks in exposed situations on the Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands at altitudes of between 800 and 1,500 m (3,000 and 5,000 ft), but also at lower altitudes between the Russell and Johnstone Rivers where it grows near the top of rainforest trees. [2] [3]

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

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

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Dendrobium brevicaudum, commonly known as the Mount Finnigan pencil orchid, 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.

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

Dendrobium pugioniforme, commonly known as the dagger orchid is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with pendulous, wiry stems, fleshy, sharply pointed leaves and flowering stems with one or two greenish or yellowish flowers with a white labellum. It grows on trees and rocks, mostly in humid forest.

<i>Dendrobium baileyi</i>

Dendrobium baileyi, commonly known as the blotched gemini orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has arching stems and flowering stems with one or two spidery, yellow flowers with dark purple spots emerging from leaf axis. It grows in tropical North Queensland, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

<i>Dendrobium schoeninum</i>

Dendrobium schoeninum, commonly known as the common pencil orchid, is an epiphytic or sometimes a lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has thin wiry, upright or pendent stems with fleshy, grooved, dark green leaves. Its short flowering stems have one or two, rarely up to four pale green, cream-coloured or mauve flowers with purple markings on the labellum. It grows on rainforest margins in coastal New South Wales and southern 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 bowmanii</i>

Dendrobium bowmanii, commonly known as the straggly pencil orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has thin wiry, straggly stems with a small number of small leaves and up to four greenish or brownish flowers with a conspicuous white labellum. It grows in drier rainforests and coastal scrub in New South Wales, southern Queensland and New Caledonia.

<i>Dendrobium canaliculatum</i>

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 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 pruinosum</i>

Dendrobium pruinosum, commonly known as the honey orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has flattened, yellowish stems and pairs of cream coloured, dull yellow or greenish flowers. It grows in tropical North Queensland and New Guinea.

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

Dendrobium toressae, commonly known as the sparkle orchid or mica orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with highly branched stems forming dense patches. The leaves are crowded, fleshy and dark green with a glittery surface. A single cream-coloured to pale pink flower with a yellow labellum develops in a leaf axil. It is endemic to tropical North Queensland.

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 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 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>Pomatocalpa marsupiale</i>

Pomatocalpa marsupiale, commonly known as the branched bladder orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that forms large clumps. It has many thick roots, branched stems, many strap-like, leathery leaves and up to many upward-facing green flowers with a cream-coloured or yellowish labellum. It usually grows on high on rainforest trees and is found between Sulawesi and tropical North Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dendrobium racemosum". 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. pp. 391–392. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 "Dockrillia racemosa". Trin keys: Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. "Dendrobium beckleri var. racemosum". APNI. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. "Dendrobium racemosum". APNI. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 647.