Dendrochilum
Dendrochilum glumaceum plate fromA Second Century of Orchidaceous Plants
Type Species
Dendrochilum aurantiacum
Dendrochilum (abbreviation in trade journals Ddc.) is a genus of about 300 epiphytic, lithophytic and a few terrestrial species, belonging to the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Many websites state a lesser number of species in this genus (varying between 100 and 150), but the authoritative World Checklist of Monocotyledons of Kew Botanical Bardens gives 390 records, including names that have become synonyms. Many of these orchids, actually 67, were named by Johannes Jacobus Smith, an eminent Dutch botanist.
Distribution [ ] They are distributed at higher elevations in humid rainforests from southeast Asia to New Guinea, Borneo, Thailand and the Philippines, but most species are to be found in Borneo or the Philippines.
Features [ ] This genus has a wide variety of miniature, fragrant, star-shaped flowers that are generally produced in two rows on erect or arching pendant, many-flowered racemes. These inflorescences can grow to a length of 50 cm (Dendrochilum glumaceum ). Their stems contain ovoid to cylindrical, striped, sharply reduced pseudobulbs, about 4-10 cm long, with green to brown bracts at their base. Each carries one or two erect, though, lanceolate leaves, about 20 cm long, with narrow petioles. The elliptical leaves of Dendrochilum longifolium may grow to a length of 40 cm.
These orchids are popular among fans of non-traditional orchid curiosities.
Culture [ ] Dendrochilum should be grown in indirect sun light and shaded areas. Leaves should be bright yellow green. Species are generally grown in warm to intermediate temperatures, but some can tolerate cold temperatures. Plants should be water about once a week. Increase watering rate in the summer. Never allow the potting mix to dry out. Fertilize approximately every six week with half strength fertilizer and reduce fertilizing during the winter. Repot the mix approximately every three years. Pot plant with 50% perlite and 50% fine bark or pot in full sphagnum moss.
Naming [ ] The name of this genus is derived from the Greek words dendron ("tree") and either cheilos ("lip") or chilos ("green food"), alluding to either their large lip or to their epiphytic growth. Dendrochilum are usually known as "Chain orchids" because they grow in clumps.
Synonyms [ ] Acoridium Nees and Meyen 1843
Platyclinis Benth. 1881 Species [ ]
Dendrochilum abbreviatum Dendrochilum abbreviatum var. abbreviatum (Java)Dendrochilum abbreviatum var. remiforme J.J.Sm. 1904 (Java)Dendrochilum abortum Dendrochilum acuiferum Dendrochilum acuminatum Dendrochilum acuminatum var. acuminatum (Sumatra)Dendrochilum acuminatum var. laxum J.J.Sm. 1922 (Sumatra)Dendrochilum adpressibulbum Dendrochilum affine Dendrochilum alatum Dendrochilum alboviride Dendrochilum alpinum Dendrochilum ambangense Dendrochilum amesianum Dendrochilum anfractum Dendrochilum anfractum var. anfractoides (Ames) L.O.Williams 1951 (Philippines)Dendrochilum anfractum var. anfractum : Bent Dendrochilum (Philippines)Dendrochilum angustifolium Dendrochilum angustilobum Dendrochilum angustipetalum Dendrochilum anomalum Dendrochilum apiculatum Dendrochilum apoense Dendrochilum appendiculatum Dendrochilum arachnites Dendrochilum asperum Dendrochilum atjehense Dendrochilum aurantiacum Dendrochilum auriculare Dendrochilum auriculilobum Dendrochilum bandaharaense Dendrochilum barbifrons Dendrochilum basale Dendrochilum beccarii Dendrochilum binuangense Dendrochilum brachyotum Dendrochilum brevilabre Dendrochilum carinatum Dendrochilum carnosulilabrum Dendrochilum carnosum Dendrochilum celebesense Dendrochilum cinnabarinum Dendrochilum cinnabarinum var. cinnabarinum (Philippines)Dendrochilum cinnabarinum var. sanguineum Ames H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum citrinum Dendrochilum cobbianum Dendrochilum coccineum Dendrochilum complectens Dendrochilum convallariiforme Dendrochilum convallariiforme var. convallariiforme (Philippines)Dendrochilum convallariiforme var. minor (Ames) H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum cootesii Dendrochilum copelandii Dendrochilum cordatum Dendrochilum cornutum Dendrochilum corrugatum Dendrochilum crassifolium Dendrochilum crassilabium Dendrochilum crassum Dendrochilum croceum Dendrochilum cruciforme Dendrochilum cruciforme var. cruciforme (Borneo)Dendrochilum cruciforme var. longicuspum J.J.Wood in J.J.Wood & P.J.Cribb 1994 (Borneo)Dendrochilum cupulatum Dendrochilum curranii Dendrochilum curranii var. curranii : Curran’s Dendrochilum (Philippines)Dendrochilum curranii var. serratoi Ames L.O.Williams 1951 (Philippines)Dendrochilum cymbiforme Dendrochilum decipiens Dendrochilum dempoense Dendrochilum dentiferum Dendrochilum devogelii Dendrochilum devoogdii Dendrochilum dewildeorum Dendrochilum dewindtianum Dendrochilum dolichobrachium Dendrochilum dulitense Dendrochilum duplicibrachium Dendrochilum ecallosum Dendrochilum edanoi Dendrochilum edentulum Dendrochilum edentulum var. edentulum (Java)Dendrochilum edentulum var. patentibracteatum J.J.Sm. 1933 (Sulawesi)Dendrochilum elegans Dendrochilum elmeri Dendrochilum erectilabium Dendrochilum exalatum Dendrochilum exasperatum Dendrochilum exiguum Dendrochilum exile Dendrochilum eximium Dendrochilum eymae Dendrochilum filiforme Dendrochilum fimbrilobum Dendrochilum flexuosum Dendrochilum flos-susannae Dendrochilum foxworthyi Dendrochilum fruticicola Dendrochilum fuscescens Dendrochilum galbanum Dendrochilum galeatum Dendrochilum geesinkii Dendrochilum gibbsiae Dendrochilum globigerum Dendrochilum glossorhynchum Dendrochilum glumaceum Dendrochilum gracile Dendrochilum gracile var. bicornutum J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum gracile var. gracile : Graceful Dendrochilum Java (Malaysia)Dendrochilum gracilipes Dendrochilum graciliscapum Dendrochilum gramineum Dendrochilum graminifolium Dendrochilum graminoides Dendrochilum grandiflorum Dendrochilum gravenhorstii Dendrochilum hamatum Dendrochilum haslamii Dendrochilum haslamii var. haslamii (Borneo)Dendrochilum haslamii var. quadrilobum J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum hastatum Dendrochilum hastilobum Dendrochilum havilandii Dendrochilum heptaphyllum Dendrochilum hologyne Dendrochilum hosei Dendrochilum hutchinsonianum Dendrochilum imbricatum Dendrochilum imitator Dendrochilum incurvibrachium Dendrochilum insectiferum Dendrochilum integrilabium Dendrochilum irigense Dendrochilum javieriense Dendrochilum jiewhoei Dendrochilum joclemensii Dendrochilum johannis-winkleri Dendrochilum kabense Dendrochilum kamborangense Dendrochilum karoense Dendrochilum kelabitense Dendrochilum kingii Dendrochilum kingii var. kingii (Malaysia, Borneo to Philippines)Dendrochilum kingii var. tenuichilum J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum korintjiense Dendrochilum krauseanum Dendrochilum lacinilobum Dendrochilum lacteum Dendrochilum lamellatum Dendrochilum lancilabium Dendrochilum latibrachiatum Dendrochilum latifolium Dendrochilum latifolium var. latifolium (Philippines)Dendrochilum latifolium var. macranthum (Schltr.), H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum latilobum Dendrochilum lepidum Dendrochilum leuserense Dendrochilum lewisii Dendrochilum linearifolium Dendrochilum loheri Dendrochilum longibracteatum Dendrochilum longibulbum Dendrochilum longicaule Dendrochilum longifolium Dendrochilum longilabre Dendrochilum longipedicellatum Dendrochilum longipes Dendrochilum longirachis Dendrochilum louisianum Dendrochilum lumakuense Dendrochilum luzonense Dendrochilum macgregorii Dendrochilum macropterum Dendrochilum magaense Dendrochilum magnum Dendrochilum maleolens Dendrochilum malindangense Dendrochilum marginatum Dendrochilum mearnsii Dendrochilum megalanthum Dendrochilum merapiense Dendrochilum merrillii Dendrochilum micholitzianum Dendrochilum micholitzianum var. longispicatum Schltr. 1911 (Sumatra)Dendrochilum micholitzianum var. micholitzianum (Sumatra)Dendrochilum microchilum Dendrochilum microscopicum Dendrochilum microstylum Dendrochilum mindanaense Dendrochilum mindorense Dendrochilum minimiflorum Dendrochilum mirabile Dendrochilum monodii Dendrochilum mucronatum Dendrochilum muluense Dendrochilum muriculatum Dendrochilum murrayi Dendrochilum murudense Dendrochilum niveum Dendrochilum ocellatum Dendrochilum ochrolabium Dendrochilum odoratum Dendrochilum oliganthum Dendrochilum ophiopogonoides Dendrochilum ophiopogonoides var. kerintjiense J.J.Sm. 1932 (Sumatra)Dendrochilum ophiopogonoides var. merapiense J.J.Sm. 1922 (Sumatra)Dendrochilum ophiopogonoides var. ophiopogonoides (Sumatra)Dendrochilum oreophilum Dendrochilum ovatum Dendrochilum oxyglossum Dendrochilum oxylobum Dendrochilum pachyphyllum Dendrochilum pallidiflavens Dendrochilum pallidiflavens var. brevilabratum Rendle J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum pallidiflavens var. oblongum J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum pallidiflavens var. pallidiflavens Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Lesser Sunda Islands)Dendrochilum panduratum Dendrochilum pandurichilum Dendrochilum pangasinanense Dendrochilum papillitepalum Dendrochilum papillosum Dendrochilum parvipapillatum Dendrochilum parvulum Dendrochilum parvulum var. parvulum : Small Flowered Dendrochilum (Philippines)Dendrochilum parvulum var. strictiforme (Ames) H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum perplexum Dendrochilum perplexum var. montanum (Ames), H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum perplexum var. perplexum (Philippines)Dendrochilum philippinense Dendrochilum philippinense var. philippinense (Philippines)Dendrochilum philippinense var. purpureum (Ames), H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum pholidotoides Dendrochilum planiscapum Dendrochilum plocoglottoides Dendrochilum polluciferum Dendrochilum prodigiosum Dendrochilum propinquum Dendrochilum pseudoscriptum Dendrochilum pterogyne Dendrochilum pubescens Dendrochilum pulcherrimum Dendrochilum pulogense Dendrochilum pumilum Dendrochilum pumilum var. pumilum (Philippines)Dendrochilum pumilum var. recurvum (Ames), H.A.Pedersen 1997 (Philippines)Dendrochilum quadrilobum Dendrochilum quinquangulare Dendrochilum quisumbingianum Dendrochilum ramosissimum Dendrochilum reniforme Dendrochilum rhodobulbum Dendrochilum rhombeum Dendrochilum rhombophorum Dendrochilum rigidifolium Dendrochilum rigidulum Dendrochilum rotundilabium Dendrochilum rufum Dendrochilum saccatum Dendrochilum saccolabium Dendrochilum schweinfurthianum Dendrochilum scriptum Dendrochilum simile Dendrochilum simplex Dendrochilum simplicissimum Dendrochilum simulacrum Dendrochilum smithianum Dendrochilum spathaceum Dendrochilum stachyodes Dendrochilum stellum Dendrochilum stenochilum Dendrochilum stenophyllum Dendrochilum subintegrum Dendrochilum sublobatum Dendrochilum subulibrachium Dendrochilum sulfureum Dendrochilum sumatranum Dendrochilum suratii Dendrochilum taeniophyllum Dendrochilum talamauense Dendrochilum teleense Dendrochilum tenellum Dendrochilum tenompokense Dendrochilum tenompokense var. papillilabium J.J.Wood J.J.Wood 2001 (Borneo)Dendrochilum tenompokense var. tenompokense (Borneo)Dendrochilum tenuibulbum Dendrochilum tenuifolium Dendrochilum tenuissimum Dendrochilum tenuitepalum Dendrochilum tetradactyliferum Dendrochilum transversum Dendrochilum trilobum Dendrochilum truncatum Dendrochilum trusmadiense Dendrochilum tuberculatum Dendrochilum turpe Dendrochilum uncatum Dendrochilum uncatum var. longispicatum (Ames) H.A.Pedersen 1997 : Long-inflorescence Dendrochilum (Philippines)Dendrochilum uncatum var. uncatum . Rchb.f. 1855 : Cucumber-Like Dendrochilum (Philippines), Beautiful Dendrochilum (Taiwan)Dendrochilum unicallosum Dendrochilum unicorne Dendrochilum vaginatum Dendrochilum vanoverberghii Dendrochilum ventricosum Dendrochilum vestitum Dendrochilum viride Dendrochilum warrenii Dendrochilum wenzelii Dendrochilum wichersii Dendrochilum williamsii Dendrochilum woodianum Dendrochilum yuccifolium Dendrochilum zollingeri
References [ ] Barkman, T. J. and J. J. Wood. 2004. The genus Dendrochilum . Pp. XX-XX. In Genera Orchidacearum, Vol. 3., Pridgeon, A., M. Chase, P. Cribb & F.N. Rasmussen (eds.). Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K
David Banks and Jim Cootes: The genus Dendrochilum ; in Orchids Australia (1995)
Wood, J. J. 1997. Orchids of Borneo: vol.3. Dendrobium, Dendrochilum and others . Sabah Society, Kota Kinabalu and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Pedersen, H. A. 1997. The genus Dendrochilum (Orchidaceae) in the Philippines -- a taxonomic revision. Opera Bot. 131: 5-205.
Cootes, J. 2002. Dendrochilum: elegance in miniature . Orchid Rev. 110(1246): 212-217. External Links [ ] 
