Dendrobium vexillarius J.J.Smith 1910 SECTION Oxyglossum Photo by © Lourens Grobler.

White & green Flower Photo by © Eric Hunt and his Orchid Species Photo Website to

Common Name The Flag-Carrying Dendrobium [refers to the odd flowers]

Flower Size less than 1" to 2"

Found as a small sized orchid from 1100 to 3500 meters in altitude growing epiphytically on the tips of tree branches or terrestrially at higher elevations in moss in New Guinea, New Ireland and the Moluccas with cylindrical, light green stems carrying 2 to 5 apical, pointed, dark green on top, gray green below leaves and blooms on an erect, short, few to several flowered raceme that arises from the nodes of leafed and leafless canes with 2 to 7, shiney, color variable flowers that can last for months. water and fertilizer should be slightly reduced through the winter months and resumed only with the onset of new growth in teh spring.

Synonyms Dendrobium albiviride P.van Royen 1979; Dendrobium albiviride var minor P.van Royen 1979; Dendrobium bilamellatum R.S.Rogers 1925; Dendrobium brachyphyta Schlechter 1923; Dendrobium caenosicallainum P. van Royen 1979; Dendrobium microblepharum Schlechter 1923; Dendrobium retroflexum J.J.Sm. 1911; Dendrobium semeion P. van Royen 1979; Dendrobium tenens J.J.Sm. 1929; Dendrobium trialatum Schlechter 1912; Dendrobium trifolium J.J.Sm. 1917; Dendrobium uncinatum Schlechter 1912; Dendrobium vexillarius var. albiviride (P.Royen) T.M.Reeve & P.Woods 1989; Dendrobium vexillarius var. retroflexum (J.J.Sm.) T.M.Reeve & P.Woods 1989; Dendrobium vexillarius var. microblepharum (Schltr.) T.M.Reeve & P.Woods 1989 ; Dendrobium xiphiphorum P. van Royen 1979; Pedilonum brachyphyta (Schltr.) Rauschert 1983; Pedilonum microblepharum (Schltr.) Rauschert 1983; Pedilonum retroflexum (J.J. Sm.) Rauschert 1983; Pedilonum trialatum (Schltr.) Rauschert 1983; Pedilonum uncinatum (Schltr.) Rauschert 1983; Pedilonum vexillarius (J.J. Sm.) Rauschert 1983

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1985; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Flora Malesiana Orchids of New Guinea Vol II Shuiteman and de Vogel 2002, The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006

Dendrobium vexillarius var uncinatum[Schlechter]T.M.Reeve & P.Wood 1910 Photo courtesy ofSylvia and Cedrics Orchid Page

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Flower Size less than 1" to 2"

This epiphytic species is found in Papua and New Guinea at elevations up to 1200 meters in mountain cloud forests but can be found in the moss covered forest floor as well and blooms on an erect, few to several flowered raceme arising from within the top two leaves or near the apex of leafless canes with up to 5 flowers opening at the same time.

Synonyms*Dendrobium uncinatum Schlechter 1912