Dendrobium Sw.
VI.Dendrobium section Breviflores
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Stem fairly slender with the upper part sometimes swollen. Stem length is normally less than 60 cm
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Leaves narrow along the stem length, which are deciduous in one to three years
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Inflorescences are along the stems in short racemes of 3 to 10 small flowers which may be pink or yellow.
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Labellum broad, saccate, three-lobed, short, described as "urn" shaped and sometimes ciliate along the front margin
This section is represented by single species in Sindhudurg district
Ecology: This species is endemic to western ghats
Epiphyte on Mangifera indica, Terminalia billirica & Careya arborea tress in semievergreen. This specimen was observed on trees at
Amboli-Belgum road and Amboli- Ajara road
Pseudobulbs 15-45 cm long, thin at the base, gradually thickening upwards; internodes 2-25 x 0.7 1.8 cm, the middle ones thickest, greyish brown, sheathed; sheaths longitudinally striated, widening upwards.
Leaves alternate, distichous, falling off just after flowering, 7-14 x 2-5 cm, sessile, oblong or oblong elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, acute, entire, glabrous, 8-10-nerved.
Inflorescence consists of fascicles of 2-3 flowers produced from the upper portion of each node along the distal half of the current season's pseudo bulb. Peduncles hardly visible.
Bracts 2-4, very small, membranous, imbricating at the base of the flowers, oblong or ovate-oblong, acute entire, glabrous, translucent, 1-nerved.
Flowers 3.5 x 2.8-3 cm, pedicellate, bracteate.
Pedicel with ovary 2.7 cm long, about 2 mm in diameter, cylindrical, greenish white.
Sepals white suffused with green, apiculate, entire, glabrous, 3-nerved ; lateral sepals 2 x 1.5 cm, ovate triangular, subfalcate; dorsal sepal 2.4 x 1.2 cm, broadly ovate.
Mentum 11 x 6 mm, oblong, slightly funnel-shaped, obtuse.
Petals 2.3 x 1.2 cm, spreading, white suffused with green, obovate-oblong or obovate, obtuse, slightly apiculate, entire, glabrous, 3-nerved.
Lip 2.2 x 2 cm, 3-lobed, whitish green, pale yellow on the inside, sub rhomboid. ascending from the base to the middle, then deflexed, triangular-round in front; lateral lobes 6-7 mm broad, obovate-oblong, rounded, entire, erect, connivent upwards, enclosing the column ; midlobe 10 x 10 mm, contracted inwards at the base, oblong-cuneate, acute. ciliolate; disc 4 mm broad, yellow, puberulous, extending up to the midlobe.
Column 4-5 x 7 mm, stout, greenish white; the arms projecting upwards and forwards, partially covering the anther in front; foot 10 X 5 mm, stout, oblong, obtuse, curved, with a small, basal, pouch-like nectary.
Anther greenish white, ovate-conical; pollinia 4, yellow, oblong, subfalcate. Stigmatic surface truncate, oblong, small, pale green.
Ovary 6 x 4.5 mm, pale greenish white, ribbed.
Capsules 4 x 1.8-2 cm, obovate-pyriform, with 6 strong ridges 2.4 mm deep, greyish green; pedicels 1cm long, 2 mm in diameter, curved.
Leaves: June to October.
Flowering: September to October. Fruiting: December to May.