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ORCHID GENUS DESCRIPTION
Dipodium R. Brown
Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae 330. 1810.
{Prodr. }
Introduction: About twenty species are found from Malaysia, China, Philippines to New Guinea, Solomon Islands and as far as new Caledonia.
Derivation of genus name: The genus name was coined by Robert Brown in 1810 from the Greek words dis (two) and podion (small foot) referring to the prominent stalks in the pollinarium supporting the pollinia.
Type species: Wailesia picta Lindley.
Characteristics of genus: Vegetatively they are quite diverse. Six of the Australian species are leafless saprophytes. Some species are leafy terrestrials, while others have long climbing stems, heavily clothed with leaves growing indefinitely at the apex, bearing roots and branching irregularly.
The latter vegetative habit simulates the monopodial growth of Vanda. The flowers are quite showy and produced in large numbers. The best known species from Papua New Guinea is D. pictum (syn. D. pandanum) has attractive flowers which are about 4 cm across, white with brown-purplish spotting.
Species line drawing (1): Dipodium pictum (Lindley) Reichb. f. 1862
drawn by N.H.S. Howcroft
Key to Illustration: A: habit and inflorescence; B: flower, front view; C: labellum, flattened; D: column and labellum; E: cut away portion of column, side view; F: column, enlarged; G: column; H-I: anther; J-K: pollinia
Species line drawing (2): Dipodium pictum (Lindley) Reichb. f. 1862
drawn by Damaris Pearce
Habitat: Found in the rain forest at low to moderate altitude and climbing on trees and rocks, in shady, humid conditions.
Conservation status: not considered threatened
Photos: Dipodium pandanum F.M. Bailey
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