Dendrobium pseudolamellatum

Family : Orchidaceae

Text © Pietro Puccio

 

English translation by Mario Beltramini

 

The species is native to Borneo (Sabah) where it grows in the humid forests at low and medium altitudes.

The name of the genus is the combination of the Greek substantives “δένδρον” (dendron) = tree and “βίος” (bios) = life, with reference to the numerous species of the genus living on the trees; the name of the species is formed by the Greek prefix “ψευδής” (pseudés) = false and by the name of the species of the Dendrobium lamellatum (Blume) Lindl. (1830).

Dendrobium pseudolamellatum J.J.Wood & A.L.Lamb (2010) is an epiphytic species with flattened pseudobulbs, about 5 cm long and 3 cm broad and 0,4 cm thick, provided of two alternate deciduous elliptic leaves with pointed apex, thin, of glossy intense green colour above, suffused of purple below, 8-13 cm long and 3-5 cm broad.

Inflorescences from the upper nodes, up to 5 cm long, carrying 3-6 flowers of 1,5-2 cm of diameter, of white colour with shades of pink and labellum with yellow greenish spot at the centre.

Dorsal sepal 1 cm long and 0,5 cm broad, lateral sepals 0,8 cm long and 1 cm broad, merged at the base of the column forming a sort of a spur (mentum) 0,5 cm long, petals long about 1,2 cm and 0,5 cm broad, trilobed labellum, 1,5 cm long and about 1 cm broad, with erect lateral lobes and median lobe with slightly curved margin.

It reproduces by seed, in vitro, and division, to be done by the vegetative restart, with each section provided of at least 3-4 pseudobulbs.

Miniature orchid with delicate flowers lasting about one week, requires a partial shade, medium-high temperatures, 24-35 °C during the growth of the pseudobulbs, averagely cooler during the vegetative stasis, with minimum ones not under the 15 °C, high humidity, 70-80%, and constant ventilation.

The waterings must be regular and abundant until the completion of the growth of the pseudobulbs, then more spaced till the vegetative restart. For the waterings and the nebulisations, it is to be used rainwater, from reverse osmosis or demineralised; the fertilizations, duly distributed in way to avoid salts accumulation at the roots, are to be done during the vegetative period preferably with hydrosoluble balanced products, with microelements, at ¼ of the dosage suggested on the package. Preferably, it is cultivated mounted on bark, trunks, rafts of cork or of arborescent ferns roots; the transplants are to be done when strictly necessary by the vegetative restart, signalled by the appearance of the new roots.

The species is reported in the appendix II of the CITES (species whose trade is internationally ruled).

 

→ For general notions about ORCHIDACEAE please click here.

→ To appreciate the biodiversity within the family ORCHIDACEAE and find other species, please click here.