Dendrobium militare

Family : Orchidaceae

Text © Pietro Puccio

 

English translation by Mario Beltramini

 

The species is native to Ternate in the Maluku Islands (Indonesia) where it lives on the trees of the humid mountain forest.

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 specific name is the Latin term “militaris, e” = military.

The Dendrobium militare P.J.Cribb (1996) is an epiphytic plant with creeping rhizome and thin cylindrical pseudobulbs, 20-45 cm long and of about 0,5 cm of diameter, provided of alternate leaves, distichous, lanceolate with bilobed apex, coriaceous, of pale green colour. Inflorescences from the upper nodes, 10-14 cm long, with 4-10 flowers of about 3 cm of diameter of pale greenish yellow colour.

Species virtually unknown in cultivation, requires a slightly shady exposition, intermediate temperatures, with lowest night values in winter not under the 15 °C, high humidity, 75-85%, and constant ventilation.

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

Synonyms: Dendrobium brevimentum P.J.Cribb (1986); Ceratobium brevimentum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones (2002).

 

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