Dendrobium crystallinum Rchb. f. 1868 SECTION Dendrobium Photo courtesy of Nik Fahmi Vortex Orchid Pages

Var Alba Photo courtesy of Lourens Grobler ©

To and

Common Name The Shiney Crystal Dendrobium [refers to the crystalline papillae on the column covering the anther cap] - in Thailand in Sai sam si - Ueang nang fawn

Flower Size 2" [5 cm]

A medium sized, cool to hot growing epiphyte that occurs on small trees in exposed locations of evergreen, semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests and savana-like woodlands and primary montane forests from the Chinese Himalayas, Myanamar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam at elevations of 900 to 1700 meters with slender, erect or pendant pseudobulbs without nodes carrying 2 to 4 linear-lanceolate, soft-textured, distichous, deciduous leaves. This species blooms in the spring and summer on a short to 2" [to 5 cm], axillary inflorescence with 2 to 10, very fragrant, single flowers that emerge from near the apex of the newest pseudobulb and needs a drier winter rest to achieve this, although in nature they are in an area that experiences a lot of morning dew. These orchids need to be mounted to accomodate the pendant growth habit.

Synonyms Callista crystallina (Rchb. f.) Kuntze 1891; Dendrobium crystallinum var. hainanense S.J.Cheng & C.Z.Tang 1986

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1874 Drawing fide; Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/1995; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1959 drawing photo; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Beautiful Thai Orchid Species Kamemoto & Sagarik 1975 photo fide; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Wild Orchids of China Tsi, Chen Mori 1997; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide; A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2001; Wild Orchids in Myanamar Vol 1 Tanaka 2003; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; A Field Guide to the Orchids of China Singchi, Zhongjian, Yibo, Xiaohua and Zhanhuo 2009 photo fide; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; The Wild Orchids in Yunnan Xu Xiang Ye & Liu 2010 photos ok

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