Dendrobium Olof Swartz
in Nova Acta Regiae Soc. Sci. Upsal. ser. 2, 6 :82 (1799)

Introduction: There are more than 900 species in this genus distributed from India, China, S.E. Asia to New Guinea, Australia and the South Pacific Islands. The center of its distribution is the island of New Guinea where more than 500 species can be found. Species of the genus Dendrobium sections Latouria, Phalaeanthe and Spathulata have been extensively used by S.E. Asian orchid farmers for hybridization and these hybrids are the basis of a multi-million cut flower business. The first hybrid to start off the cut flower trade was Dendrobium Madam Pompadour.

Derivation of genus name: Described by Olof Swartz in 1799 the name was taken from the Greek words dendros (tree) and bios (life)

Photos & Drawings: Dendrobium species

Type species: Dendrobium moniliforme L.

Characteristics of the genus: This highly complex and unwieldy genus consist of plants of diverse forms. Plants may have a group of leaf-bearing axes, which are either caespitose or terminal on the branches of sympodial ramificant rhizomes. Leaf-bearing axes may be from a few centimeters to over 5 m long. The axes may bear from one apical to numerous distichous leaves, generally rather thin, but in a few species these are leathery thick and/or laterally compressed. The inflorescence(s) can be lateral, subapical or apical, few to many flowered.
Dendrobium species habitats cover all elevation zones, from the lowlands to the high altitude moss forests.

Number of sections and/or subsections in genus: The first review of the genus appears have been undertaken as early as 1850 by Lindley, then again by Fritz Kränzlin in 1910 however, his revision was the subject of much criticism. Rudolf Schlechter rearranged Kränzlin's proposed sections and proposed that the genus be split into four sub-genera with a total of 41 sections. Four of these sections have since been elevated to genus rank. Popularly cultivated species from New Guinea mostly belong to the sections Calyptrochilus, Latourea, Spathulata, Phalaeanthe, Pedilonum, Oxyglossum

Number of species in New Guinea: approximately 500

HABITAT: Species in this genus may be found from sea level to the high alpine moss forests

CONSERVATION STATUS: Popular species such as D. cuthbertsonii, D. vexillarius, D. lasianthera and many others are under threat from indiscriminate collectors, the growing population, mining and forestry activities

DENDROBIUM PHOTOS & DRAWINGS