Dendrobium wenzelii Ames 1915 SECTION Aporum Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Plant and flower Photo courtesy of Dale and Deni Borders

Common Name Wenzel's Dendrobium [Orchid Collector in the Philippines 1800's]

Flower Size less than 1/2" [Less than 1.25 cm]

This is an endemic to the Philippines, miniature sized, hot growing species from the island of Leyte at elevations of 300 meters or less with slender stems carrying many, rigid, triangular, sickle-shaped, 2 ranked leaves all along the stem that blooms on a short, 1 flowered inflorescence that arises from the cushion af fiberous scales at the stem nodes across from the rudimentary leafs. This orchid has a zigzag leaf pattern like the Dichaea but the last 2 apical leaves always appear to be orange in color. A slight reduction of water and fertilizer should occur through the winter months and only increased with the arrival of new growth in the spring.

Synonyms Aporum wenzelii (Ames) M.A.Clem. 2003

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidiana Philipiniana Vol 1 Valmayor 1984; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; The Orchids of the Philippines Cootes 2001; Flora Malesiana Orchids of the Philippines Vol I Agoo, Shuiteman and de Vogel 2003; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006