Dendrobium bensoniae Rchb. f. 1867 SECTION Dendrobium Photo courtesy of Beau

Another Plant Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

Flower closeup Photo courtesy of Joe Bryson

To

Common Name Benson's Dendrobium [English Officer in Burma and Orchid Enthusiast 1800's]

Flower Size 2 1/2" [6.25 cm]

Found in NE India, Burma and possibly Thailand as a medium sized, pendant, warm to hot growing epiphyte at elevations of 450 to 1550 meters with yellow, fleshy, erect or pendulous, cylindrical, 12 to 30" [30 to 75 cm] long, stems without swollen nodes carrying more than 1 per growth, linear, lanceolate or oval, leathery, deciduous leaf that blooms on a pendant, to 2" [to 5 cm] long, 1 to 3 flowered, racemose inflorescence, with 1 or 2 arising from the upper nodes of leafless stems with 1 to 3, sparkly, fragrant flowers occuring in the spring. Through the winter months this plant should be watered less frequently but not allowed to dry out completely, cool weather helps as well and this plant can tolerate freezing temps for a short time if dry. Light fertilizer and heavy waterings throughout the growth cycle are instrumental in optimum plant growth and mounting accomodates the habit correctly.

Synonyms Callista bensoniae (Rchb. f.) Kuntze 1891

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/1995; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006