Dendrobium hancockii Rolfe 1903 SECTION Holochrysa

Plant and Flowers Photos courtesy of Eric Hunt

Common Name Hancock's Dendrobium - In China Xi Ye Shi Hu

Flower Size almost 1 1/4" [to 4 cm]

Found in Yunnan Province in the south of China on tree trunks in forests or on rocks along valleys at elevations of 200 to 1500 [1600 to 2150] meters as a medium to giant sized, hot to cool growing epiphytic orchid with slender, occasionally branching stems carrying linear, 2.2 to 2.8" [6 to 7 cm] long, unequally bidentate apically leaves that blooms on a short, axillary, 1 to 2 flowered, fragrant inflorescence that arises from the apical leaf axils of last years mature canes and occuring in the spring with strongly scented [honey] flowers. In the winter the water should be reduced and the fertilizer eliminated until new growth appears in the spring.

If the leaves on your orchid are about 3/4" [2 cm] wide then your plant is D odiosum.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Wild Orchids of China Tsi, Chen Mori 1997; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 4 1998 photo; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 4 2007 photo; Native Orchids of Shaanxi - Shaanxi Science & Technology Press 2007 photo fide; A Field Guide to the Orchids of China Singchi, Zhongjian, Yibo, Xiaohua and Zhanhuo 2009 photo ok; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing hmm; The Wild Orchids in Yunnan Xu Xiang Ye & Liu 2010 photos fide;

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