Synonyms
Acoridium schweinfurthianum Ames, Blumea, Suppl. 1: 73 (1937).
Origin in the Wild
Luzon
Elevation in the Wild
1200 metres
Habitat in the Wild
Plants have only been collected in Rizal Province on Mount Tokduanbanoy. This species has been found as an epiphyte in mossy forest.
The Plants Description
The pseudobulbs cluster on a short rhizome and are shaped fusiform. The pseudobulbs measure 1.2-2.6cm long and 0.3-0.5cm in diameter. The pseudobulbs are covered by c4 cataphylls while they are growing. The cataphylls soon disintegrate into non-persistent fibres as the pseudobulbs mature. The leaves are petiolate to nearly sessile; the petiole measures 0.1-0.4cm long. The leaf blades are shaped elliptic to lanceolate and have rounded-obtuse to subacute apices. The leaf blades measure 2.6-8.1cm long and 0.9-2.2cm wide. The leaves have 3-5 distinct nerves the two outermost nerves are submarginal.
The Inflorescence
The inflorescence is synanthous. The peduncle is suberect to somewhat curved and measures 2.2-5.9cm long. The rachis is nodding to probably pendent and measures 5.8-8.8cm long. The flowers alternate distichously and are spaced 2.0-2.5mm apart. There are 1-2 appressed non-floriferous bracts at the base of the rachis. The flowers open from the proximal section of the rachis.
The Flowers
Henrik Pedersen wrote that the flowers are white or yellow (Pedersen 1997). The sepals and petals spread widely. The dorsal sepal is shaped broadly lanceolate to narrowly elliptic and has a rounded-obtuse apex. The dorsal sepal measures 3.4-3.5mm long and 1.2-1.3mm wide. The dorsal sepal is one veined and has an entire margin. The lateral sepals are shaped slightly oblique, ovate and have obtuse apices. The lateral sepals measure 3.1-3.4mm long and 1.6-1.8mm wide. The lateral sepals are one veined and have entire margins. The petals are shaped elliptic and have acute apices. The petals measure 3.0-3.2mm long and 1.8-2.0mm wide. The petals are one veined and have entire margins. The labellum is porrect, slightly concave and 3-lobed. The labellum measures 1.4-1.5mm long and 2.2-2.3mm wide. The labellum is obscurely 3-veined, glabrous and has entire margins. The side lobes are erect; shaped falcately linear and have obtuse apices. The side lobes are equal to or slightly exceed the mid-lobe. The mid-lobe is shaped triangular and has a subacute apex. There are three calli, the lateral calli are shaped somewhat conical and located at the base of the side lobes. The median callus is minute, shaped oblongoid and is located centrally on the hypochile. The column is suberect to somewhat incurved and measures 0.8-0.9mm long. The column is hooded at its apex. Stelidia and column foot are absent.
Herbarium Specimens
Holotype
AMES
Specimen 53 (photo)
Isotype
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (K)
I could not locate the specimen
New York Botanical Garden (NY)
Specimen 39515 (photo)
US
Scent
I could find no record
Flowering Season
Flowering plants have been collected in the wild during November.
Culture
I do not think this species is in cultivation.
Similar Species
Dendrochilum irigense
Dendrochilum exile
Dendrochilum mindorense
Dendrochilum pumilum var recurvum
Dendrochilum pumilum var pumilum
Dendrochilum longibulbum
Dendrochilum tenuibulbum
Other Information
L.O. Williams wrote (1951) that this species was most closely allied to Dendrochilum mindorense. Henrik Pedersen wrote (1997) that this species should be grouped with Dendrochilum longibulbum, Dendrochilum tenuibulbum and Dendrochilum pumilum on account of its anther cap that is emarginate from the frontal view.
Reference –
PEDERSEN, Henrik. 1997, The Genus Dendrochilum (Orchidaceae) in the Philippines – A Taxonomic Revision. Opera Botanica, Denmark
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 26 June 2009. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ accessed 26 June 2009.