Dendrobium rigidifolium Rolfe 1899 SECTION Latouria
What is known as D alpinum? Photos by © Bandisch and PNG Orchid News website
Drawing based on P Royen Drawing by © Dr Claire Russel Ossian
Common Name The Rigid Leafed Dendrobium
Flower Size 1 to 2” [2.5 to 5 cm]
Found in New Guinea in montane rain forests on trees or on the ground at elevations of 2300 to 3800 meters as a small to medium sized, cold growing epiphyte or terrestrial with ribbed, 12 to 18 noded, terete, leafy canes carrying in the apical half, 3 to 9 well spaced, flat, ovate to oblong, prominent midvein, leathery leaves with irregular, wavy and transparent margins that blooms at most any time of the year with up to 10 per stem, 2 to 9” [5 to 23 cm] long, laterally, erect to spreading, 4 to 15 flowered inflorescence arising from the nodes towards the apex of the cane.
Stated to have 2 keels on the 3 lobed lip.
CAUTION Not sure of this determination, I await further references.
Synonyms Dendrobium alpinum P.Royen 1979; Dendrobium giluwense P.Royen 1979; Dendrobium guttatum J.J.Sm. 1911; Dendrobium helenae Chadim 1966; Dendrobium rhomboglossum J.J.Sm. 1911; Sayeria rhomboglossa (J.J.Sm.) Rauschert 1983; Sayeria rigidifolia (Rolfe) Rauschert 1983
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidaceae Monandre-Dendrobiinae Fr. Kraenzlin 1910; The Orchids of The High Mountains of New Guinea P Van Royen 1979 as D alpinum drawing ok; The Orchids of The High Mountains of New Guinea P Van Royen 1979 drawing ok; The Orchids of The High Mountains of New Guinea P Van Royen 1979 as D giluwense drawing ok; The Orchids of The High Mountains of New Guinea P Van Royen 1979 as D guttatum drawing ok; The Orchids of The High Mountains of New Guinea P Van Royen 1979 as D rhomboglossum drawing ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 4 1982 drawing fide; Orchid Species Culture, Dendrobium Bakers 1996 as D rhomboglossum; Orchid Species Culture Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Orchids of Papua New Guinea Millar 1999 photo ok; Dendrobium and its Relatives Lavarack, Harris and Stocker 2000 photo good; Australian Orchid Review Vol 71 No 1 2006 photo; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006 photo fide for the first photo
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