IOSPE PHOTOS

MOSTLY

Common Name Williams' Dendrobium [Orchid Collector in SE Asia 1800's]

Flower Size 3/4" to 2" [1.85 to 5 cm]

A medium to giant sized, hot growing epiphyte on small trees in the hot dry savannahs of Papua and New Guinea at elevations of 60 to 300 meters that goes without water for up to 6 months at a time but do get morning dew. This orchid has varied, slender stems that carry many, oblong, persistent, pale green leaves with a blunt apex an d arranged in 2 ranks along the stem. They bloom on a 6 to 13" [15 to 35 cm] long, arching, few to several flowered inflorescence with fragrant, waxy, longlasting flowers arising from the nodes near or at the apex of the mature leafed canes occuring in spring but is possible at most any time of the year. Give this orchid a prolonged dry rest after the fall blooming is finished resuming only after the onset of new growth in the spring.

Synonyms Durabaculum williamsianum (Rchb.f.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 2002

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1912/85; The Orchids of Papua New Guinea An Introduction Millar 1978 photos fide; Lowland Orchids of of Papua New Guinea Peter O'Byrne 1994 drawing/photo fide; 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

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