Orchids of New Guinea

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Dendrobium bifalce

Dendrobium bifalce Lindl., London J. Bot. 2 (1843) 237.

Type: Hinds s.n. (New Guinea) (holo K).

Synonyms:

Doritis bifalcis (Lindl.) Rchb.f., Hamburger Garten-Blumenzeitung 16 (1860) 116.
Callista bifalcis (Lindl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. (1891) 654.
Sayeria bifalcis (Lindl.) Rauschert, Feddes Repert. 94 (1983) 466.
Leioanthum bifalce (Lindl.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones, Orchadian 13 (2002) 490
Dendrobium bifalce Lindl. var. chloropterum (Rchb.f. & S.Moore) J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 319.
Bulbophyllum oncidiochilum Kraenzl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 18 (1894) 485.
Latouria oncidiochila Kraenzl., Österr. Bot. Zeitschr. 44 (1894) 336.
- Type: Micholitz s.n. (1893, Friedrich Wilhelmshafen); s.n. (New Ireland); s.n.; Chalmers s.n. (1893); Betcke s.n. (Duke of York I.); Hartmann s.n.(Saibai I.).
Dendrobium breviracemosum F.M.Bailey, Queensland Agric. J. 3 (1989) 158.
- Type: Bailey ? s.n. (V-1898, New Guinea, Douglas Harbour).
Dendrobium chloropterum Rchb.f. & S.Moore, J. Bot. 16 (1878) 137, fig. 196.
- Type: Kew cult. s.n. (origin not known) (holo K).
Dendrobium chloropterum Rchb.f. & S.Moore var. striatum J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 64.
- Type: Branderhorst 30 (L); 118 (L); Koch s.n. (1904-05).

An epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs stout, somewhat dilated towards apex, 11-30 by 0.8-1.2 cm, yellow, 5-7-noded below leaves, 2-4-leaved at apex. Leaves coriaceous, suberect, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, up to 16 by 3.5-6 cm. Inflorescence erect, emerging from just beneath leaf-bases, 25-40 cm long, distantly few- to many-flowered; peduncle terete, stout, very much longer than rachis; bracts fleshy, triangular-ovate, apiculate, 2-3 mm long. Flowers closely spaced. Dorsal sepal oblong-ovate, obtuse, 7 by 4 mm; lateral sepals spreading obliquely triangular, obtuse, 9 by 9.8 mm; mentum conical, 7 mm long. Petals oblong, obtuse, 7 by 3 mm. Lip reflexed, clawed at base, 3-lobed, 1-1.2 by 1-1.2 cm when spread; side-lobes erect, linear-tapering, somewhat falcate, acute; midlobe very much larger than side-lobes, transversely oblong or reniform, often spreading widely; callus of 3 irregular ridges. Column 2 mm long; foot 7 mm long.
(after Cribb, 1983).

Colours:

Flowers yellow or yellow green, marked with maroon; lip with a yellow to brownish midlobe and a white callus.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in coastal or riverine forests, also in plantations and on solitary trees and coconut palms. Altitude 0 to 800 m.

Distribution:

Timor, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands and Australia.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua and Papua New Guinea, widespread, especially in seasonally dry areas.

Map: Dendrobium bifalce Lindl., distribution map, redrawn from P. Cribb, Kew Bull. 38 (1983) 294, map 9, with new records added.

Cultivation:

Warm growing epiphyte, prefers light position.

Flowering time in the wild:

Throughout the year, with a peak at the end of the rainy season (fide O'Byrne); the flowers last about 10 days.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Dendrobiinae
Genus Dendrobium
Section Latouria
Species Dendrobium bifalce

Literature:

Cribb, P.J. 1983. Kew Bull. 38: 293, pl. 16C, D, map 9.
O'Byrne, P. 1994. Lowland Orchids of Papua New Guinea: 280, fig.
Schlechter, R. 1912. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1: 488.
Schlechter, R. 1923. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21: t. 165, fig. 617.

Notes:

Dendrobium bifalce Lindl. is perhaps the most common lowland orchid in New Guinea. Its most distinctive features are the long stout peduncle and short rachis, closely spaced bracts, the narrow acute side-lobes of the lip which are much smaller than the broad often emarginate deflexed midlobe and the white rugulose callus.
(largely after Cribb, 1983).