Dendrobium tozerense

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

White gemini orchid
LR040 72dpi Grastidium tozerense.jpg
Illustration by Lewis Roberts
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Dendrobieae
Genus: Dendrobium
Species:
D. tozerense
Binomial name
Dendrobium tozerense
Synonyms[1]

Grastidium tozerense () M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones

Dendrobium tozerense, commonly known as the white gemini orchid,[2] is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has thin, wiry stems, stiff leaves and pairs of star-shaped, white flowers. It grows in rainforest in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

Description[]

Dendrobium tozerense is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb that has crowded wiry stems 200–600 mm (8–20 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The leaves are scattered along the stems and are light green, linear to lance-shaped, 50–80 mm (2.0–3.1 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide. The flowers are white, arranged in pairs in leaf axils and are resupinate, star-shaped and 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long and wide. The dorsal sepal is 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long, about 6 mm (0.2 in) wide and the lateral sepals are 14–18 mm (0.55–0.71 in) long, about 5 mm (0.20 in) wide. The sepals and petals are 12–15 mm (0.47–0.59 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, thin and pointed. The labellum is 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide, has a few scattered hairs and three lobes. The side lobes are erect, rounded triangular and the middle lobe has a blunt tip and crinkled edges. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming[]

Dendrobium tozerense was first formally described in 1977 by from a specimen collected from Tozer's Gap on Cape York Peninsula and the description was published in the journal Austrobaileya.[1][4]

Distribution and habitat[]

The white gemini orchid grows on trees and rocks in rainforest and on cliffs near waterfalls on some Torres Strait Islands and south on the Cape York Peninsula to the Iron Range and Tully.[2][3]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Dendrobium pruinosum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 399. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Factsheet - Grastidium tozerense". . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  4. ^ Lavarack, Peter S. (1977). "Notes on Queensland Orchidaceae". Austrobaileya. 1 (1): 63–74.
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