Dendrobium canaliculatum R.Br.

Brown tea tree orchid (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Dendrobium

Characteristics

An orchid which grows attached to other plants. It grows in clumps. It is 20-30 cm high. The false bulbs are short, thick and fleshy. They are 3-12 cm long. The leaves are smooth, thick and fleshy and long and narrow. They are deeply grooved along the upper surface. They are 10-20 cm long by 0.5-1.2 cm wide. Between 2 and 6 leaves occur at the top of the false bulb. They are dark green. The flower have twisted petals which are greenish white flecked with purple green or brown spots. The lower petal is white, tipped with purple and is 3 lobed. The flowers are 1-2 cm long by 1.5 cm across. Between 10 and 40 flowers occur in a cluster which is 10-30 cm long and on a long stalk. The flowers have a smell. The fruit is a capsule. The plant varies a lot in the different areas where it grows.
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Pseudobulbs onion-like, sometimes elongated, 30–120 × 10–30 mm. Leaves 2–6, terminal, 100–250 × 6–12 mm, thick, fleshy, dark green, deeply channelled. Racemes 100–400 mm long, 5–30-flowered. Flowers 20–25 × 25–30 mm, light brown to caramel with darker tips, centre sometimes whitish or green. Sepals and petals twisted near pointed apex. Dorsal sepal 10–15 × 3–4 mm. Lateral sepals 10–15 × 3–4 mm. Petals 13–18 × 2.5–3 mm, erect. Labellum 10–13 × 7–9 mm, white with purple streaks, sometimes heavily marked; lateral lobes broad, erect; midlobe not stalked, 4–5 mm wide, shortly pointed with 3 wavy ridges extending nearly to apex of midlobe.
Pseudobulbs crowded, onion-like to spindle-shaped, 30–120 × 15–25 mm. Leaves 2–6, terminal, 80–200 × 4–8 mm, fleshy, deeply channelled. Racemes 100–300 mm long, 5–50-flowered. Flowers 15–20 × 22–30 mm, white with yellow or brown tips. Sepals and petals widely spreading, apex twisted. Dorsal sepal 10–16 × 2–3 mm. Lateral sepals 10–18 × 2–3 mm. Petals 12–18 × 2–2.5 mm. Labellum 10–12 × 5–6 mm, white with purple streaks and suffusions; lateral lobes narrow, erect; midlobe stalkless, 4–5 mm wide, shortly pointed, with 3 ridges which break up into series of small crests.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
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Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Environment

A tropical plant. It grows attached to paperbark trees. It is mostly in lowland swamps and coastal flood plains. They suit areas with bright light but humid conditions. It is very cold sensitive. It must have a temperature above 10°C. It occurs in southern Papua New Guinea. It grows in areas with a seasonal dry condition. It cannot grow in soggy conditions. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.
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Locally common; found growing on trees in woodland, grassy forest, swamps and stream banks. Most frequent on stunted trees of broad-leaved paperbark in low-lying areas that are inundated during the wet season, but it also occurs on a wide range of other hosts including bloodwoods and eucalypts. Commonly grows in bright sunny positions on the host.
Widespread and common, especially in coastal areas; found growing on trees in stunted forest, mangroves, swamps and woodlands dominated by broad-leaved paperbark. It also extends into coastal ranges and tablelands.
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Hardiness (USDA) 10-12

Usage

The false bulb is cooked and eaten.
Uses environmental use medicinal
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Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. It can be grown in a good, well drained soil or potting medium.
Mode seedlings
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Images

Dendrobium canaliculatum unspecified picture

Distribution

Dendrobium canaliculatum world distribution map, present in Australia

Conservation status

Dendrobium canaliculatum threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:627019-1
WFO ID wfo-0000938672
COL ID 34MLX
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Cepobaculum canaliculatum Callista canaliculata Dendrobium canaliculatum

Lower taxons

Dendrobium canaliculatum var. canaliculatum Dendrobium canaliculatum var. foelschei