Dockrillia rigida (R BR.] Rauschert 1983 SECTION Rhizobium
Photo by © Cheryl M LeBlanc and the Wheeler Orchid Collection at BSU
Photos by © Jay Pfahl
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Common Name The Rigid-Leafed Dockrillia - The Smooth Tongue Orchid - The Smooth Tick Orchid
Flower Size 3/8" [1 to 1.5 cm]
This succulent like plant comes from Queensland Australia and New Guinea at elevations below 700 meters in low hilly inland ranges, low savannahs, rainforests and mangroves and is a hot to warm growing, miniature sized epiphyte with a much branching rhizome giving rise to erect, drooping or pendulous, 1 to 3 noded stems carrying a single apical, fleshy, ovate or obovate, apiculate, acute or obtuse leaf. It blooms through the winter and spring on a 2" or less [5 cm or less] long, one to six flowered inflorescence that has tiny yellow and orange, heavily scented, inverted flowers.
This species is best mounted on tree fern or cork to accomodate the pendant growth habit. Water heavily from spring through fall and then slack off for a drier winter. Watch for slugs and snails they seem to be attracted to the fleshy psuedobulbs.
Synonyms Callista rigida [R. Br.] O. Ktze. 1891; Dendrobium desmotrichoides J.J.Sm. 1908; Dendrobium rigidum R. Brown 1810; Dockrillia desmotrichoides (J.J.Sm.) Brieger 1981
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 7 1958 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; The Orchids of Australia Nicholls 1969 as Dendrobium rigidum drawing fide; The Orchids of Papua New Guinea An Introduction Millar 1978 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; Miniature Orchids Northern 1980 as Dendrobium rigidum; Orchids of Asia Soon 1980 as Dendrobium rigidumphoto fide; Die Orchideen lieferung 11 Schlechter/Brieger 1981 as Dockrillia desmotrichoides; Dendrobium Orchids of Australia Upton 1989 as Dendrobium rigidum drawing/photo fide; Miniature Orchids McQueens 1992 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; The Manual Of Cultivated Orchid Species Bechtel, Cribb & Laurent 1992 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 63 No 1 1994 photo fide; Lowland Orchids of Paua New Guinea O'Byrne 1994 as Dendrobium rigidum drawing/photo fide; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996 as D desmotrichoides; Orchids of Papua New Guinea Millar 1999 as Dendrobium rigidumphoto fide; Flora Malesiana Orchids of New Guinea Vol II Shuiteman and de Vogel 2002 as Dendrobium rigidum; Australian Orchid Review Vol 68 No 2 2003 photo; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 photo fide; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 No 11 2008; Malesian Orchid Journal Vol 3 2009 photo plant only; Mille Et Une miniOrchidees Roguenant 2009 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 74 #4 2010 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 79 #3 2010 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; The Orchids of Mount Kinabalu Vol 2 Wood, Beaman, Lamb, Chu Lun and Beaman 2011 as Oxystophyllum rigidum; A Guide to the Dendrobium of New Guinea Schuiteman 2013 as Dendrobium rigidum photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #8 2016 photo fide;
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