Dendrobium melaleucophilum M. Clements & D. Jones 1989 SECTION Dendrocoryne Photo courtesy ofGreg and Kerri Steenbeeke and their Orkology Kreations Website
LATE
to
Common Name The Melaleuca-Loving Dendrobium - The Flared Tree Spider Orchid
Flower Size 4" [10 cm]
This medium sized, hot growing epiphytic or lithophytic species is a part of the D. tetragonum alliance and is found in Queensland and New South Wales Australia where it grows both as an epiphyte on Melaleuca trees and swamp oak and as a lithophyte under elevations of 400 meters with perpendicular or semipendulous, basally slender, swollen and 4 angled above, greenish brown stems carrying 2 to 4 thin, tough, ovate, dark green leaves that blooms on an apical, short to 1 1/4", wiry, few to several [2 to 8] flowered inflorescence that arises from the apex of the canes occuring in late fall and early spring.
Water and fertilizer should be reduced for 2 to 3 months in the winter but plants should remain slightly moist and they can survive cold temps for short periods.
Synonyms Dendrobium tetragonum var. melaleucaphilum (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) Dockrill 1992; Tetrabaculum melaleucaphilum (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 2002
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 61 No 6/564 1992 photo fide; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Dendrobium and their Relatives Lavarack, Harris and Stocker 2000 as D tetragonum var melaleucaphilum photo fide; Australian Orchid Review Vol 70 No 5 2005; Flora's Orchids Nash & La Croix 2005 photo fide; Australian Orchid Review Vol 71 No 5 2006 photo; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006 as D tetragonum var melaleucaphilum photo fide; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 as Tetrabaculum melaleucaphilum photo fide;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------