Cymbidium canaliculatum | |||||||||||||||||
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Cymbidium canaliculatum is a species of Cymbidium from Australia.
Description[]
Plant blooms in the fall with many small 4 cm wide flowers. Flowers are fragrant. Flower color is extremely variable from green to black.[1]
This species was first described by R. Brown from a plant collected near Broad Sound, Queensland.[1] This species can be distinguished from other Australian species by it's characteristic leaves, densely crowded scapes, and by its two distinct parallel callus ridges on the lip.[1]
This species is drought tolerant due to its thick leathery leaves which use Crassulacian Acid Metabolism.[1]
In 1934 Rupp divided the species into three varieties canaliculatum, sparkesii, and marginatum.[1] Cymbidium canaliculatum var canaliculatum has green to bright yellow green sepals and petals with red spots and brown blotches.[1] There is also an forma aureolum which only has bright yellow green petals and sepals.[1] These varieties are found in New South Wales and southern Queensland.[1]
Cymbidium canaliculatum var marginatum are plants with a uniform brown or reddish flower with a pale green margin.[1] There are two formas to this variety forma fuscatum, which has brown sepals and petals, and forma purpuracens which is bright or dark magenta.[1] This variety is found in northern Queensland and Cape York.[1]
Cymbidium canaliculatum var sparkesii has dark red near almost black flowers.[1] It was previously described by Rendel in 898 as a separate species but later reduced to an variety of Cymbidium canaliculatum by Baily.[1] This variety is found in northern Queensland.[1]
In 1942 Nicholls describes a new variety variety barrettii which has greenish yellow sepals and petals with some red spots but no brown markings.[1]
Distribution[]
Plant is found growing in branches of Eucalyptus and Melaleuca trees, rotting wood of hollow tree trunks and fallen branches in Northern Territories, Western Australia, Cape York, Queensland and New South Wales at elevations of 0 to 1000 meters[1]
Culture[]
Plant should be grown in cool to warm areas with medium to bright light. Pot with bark and perlite. Plant prefers dry periods between watering. Reduce watering during the winter. Water about once a week. The plant can tolerate high temperatures up to 35°C (95°F) and freezing winter night temperatures.[1]
Varieties[]
Naming[]
Common Name:The Small Grooved Leaf Cymbidium
Synonyms[]
- Cymbidium hillii F. Mueller 1879
- Cymbidium sparkesii Rendle 1898