Synonyms
None
Origin in the Wild
Indonesia (Bunguran Island)
Elevation in the Wild
800 – 1,000 metres
Habitat in the Wild
This species has been found on Bunguran Island, an island that forms part of the Riau group and is situated north of Borneo.
This species was collected on the southern summit of Mount Ranai; its habitat was described as mossy forest and was growing on cliffs.
The Plants Description
The pseudobulbs cluster along an elongated rhizome; the rhizome can attain a length of 15cm. The pseudobulbs are spaced 1.0-1.5cm apart, are shaped conical to fusiform and have obtuse apices. The pseudobulbs measure 1.3-1.5cm long and 0.9cm in diameter. The pseudobulbs are covered by 4-5 cataphylls while they are growing. The cataphylls disintegrate into persistent fibres as the pseudobulbs mature. The leaves are petiolate; the petiole measures 0.4-1.6cm long. The leaf blades are shaped narrowly elliptic and have obtuse to subacute apices. The leaf blades measure 3.0-5.5cm long and 0.8-1.0cm wide. The leaves are narrowly cuneate below, coriaceous and have five distinct nerves. The leaves are covered by a sparse pubescence when the leaves are young.
The Inflorescence
The inflorescence is synanthous. The peduncle is erect to gently curved and measures 3.5-4.0cm long. The rachis is quadrangular in cross section, curved and measures 3.7-4.0cm long. The flowers alternate distichously and are spaced 2.5-3.0mm apart. There are no appressed non-floriferous bracts at the base of the rachis. The inflorescence is densely pubescent.
The Flowers
Between 1 and 20 flowers grow on an inflorescence (Wood 2001). The flowers have a white labellum that is flushed with a light green at its base. The dorsal sepal is shaped oblong-lanceolate and has an acute apex. The dorsal sepal measures 5.3mm long and 1.7-1.8mm wide. The dorsal sepal is concave, incurved; three veined and has an entire margin. The lateral sepals are shaped obliquely oblong-lanceolate, subfalcate and have acute apices. The lateral sepals measure 5.0mm long and 1.3mm wide. The lateral sepals are three veined and have entire margins. The petals are shaped narrowly obliquely oblong, subfalcate and have minutely apiculate apices. The petals measure 4.5mm long and 1.5mm wide. The petals are porrect, concave; three veined and sometimes have obscurely erose margins. The labellum is shortly clawed, slightly concave, glabrous, three veined (lateral nerves branch) and entire. The labellum measures 3.4-3.5mm long and 2.4mm wide. The labellum has a serrulate to obscurely erose margin. The labellum is shaped narrowly cordate-ovate, unguiculate and has a shortly acute apex. The labellum is rounded at its base. There are three short keels that are not joined at the base. The keels start at the base and terminate where the labellum reflexes. The column is curved and measures 2.5mm long. The column foot is prominent. The apical hood is prolonged into a subquadrangular shape and has a tridentate margin. The median tooth is shorter than the lateral teeth. The stelidia grow upwards from the middle of the column and are slightly longer than the column apex. The stelidia are shaped linear-subulate to filiform and have acute apices.
Herbarium Specimens
Holotype
National Herbarium Netherlands (L)
Specimen L0003779 (photo)
Isotype
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
BO
Scent
I could find no record
Flowering Season
A flowering plant has been collected in the wild during April.
Culture
I do not think this species is in cultivation
Similar Species
Dendrochilum pubescens
Other Information
This species is related to Dendrochilum pubescens but differs by its smaller leaves, more flowers on the inflorescence, distinctly clawed labellum, deeply toothed apical hood and longer stelidia.
The epithet refers to the pubescent inflorescence.
Reference –
WOOD, Jeffrey. Dendrochilum of Borneo, 2001. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Malaysia.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 24 July 2009. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ accessed 24 July 2009.