Dendrobium

Dendrobium
Pink Rock Orchid, Dendrobium kingianum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Tribe:	Dendrobieae
Subtribe:	Dendrobiinae
Genus:	Dendrobium Sw
Species
About 1,200; see List of Dendrobium species
Synonyms
Genus synonymy Callista Lour. Ceraia Lour Aporum Blume Desmotrichum Blume, illegitimate Grastidium Blume Macrostomium Blume Onychium Blume Pedilonum Blume Schismoceras C.Presl Cadetia Gaudich Orthoglottis Breda Thelychiton Endl. Keranthus Lour. ex Endl. Endeisa Raf. Tropilis Raf. Ditulima Raf. Froscula Raf. Ormostema Raf. Pierardia Raf., illegitimate Thicuania Raf. Latourea Blume Aclinia Griff. Dichopus Blume Stachyobium Rchb.f. Coelandria Fitzg. Sayeria Kraenzl. Diplocaulobium (Rchb.f.) Kraenzl. in H.G.A.Engler Goldschmidtia Dammer Inobulbon Schltr. & Kraenzl. in H.G.A.Engler Epigeneium Gagnep. Katherinea A.D.Hawkes Ephemerantha P.F.Hunt & Summerh. Flickingeria A.D.Hawkes Amblyanthus (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter, illegitimate Australorchis Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Bolbodium Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Conostalix (Kraenzl.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Dendrocoryne (Lindl.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter, invalid Dockrillia Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Dolichocentrum (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Eriopexis (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Euphlebium (Kraenzl.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Herpetophytum (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Kinetochilus (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Latourorchis Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Microphytanthe (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Monanthos (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Trachyrhizum (Schltr.) Brieger in F.R.R.Schlechter Amblyanthe Rauschert Cannaeorchis M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Winika M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones & Molloy Tetrodon (Kraenzl.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Abaxianthus M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Aporopsis (Schltr.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Bouletia M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Cepobaculum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Ceratobium (Lindl.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Chromatotriccum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Davejonesia M.A.Clem Dendrobates M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Distichorchis M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones × Dockrilobium J.M.H.Shaw Durabaculum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Eleutheroglossum (Schltr.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Eurycaulis M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Exochanthus M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Leioanthum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Maccraithea M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Oxyglossellum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Sarcocadetia (Schltr.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Stelbophyllum D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem Stilbophyllum D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem Tetrabaculum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones × Vappaculum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Vappodes M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones Anisopetala (Kraenzl.) M.A.Clem.

About 1,200; see List of Dendrobium species

Dendrobium is a huge genus of orchids. It was established by Olof Swartz in 1799 and today contains about 1,200 species. The genus occurs in diverse habitats throughout much of south, east and southeast Asia, including China, Japan, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Guinea, Vietnam, and many of the islands of the Pacific. The name is from the Greek dendron ("tree") and bios ("life"); it means "one who lives on trees", or, essentially, "epiphyte".

Dendrobium species are either epiphytic, or occasionally lithophytic. They have adapted to a wide variety of habitats, from the high altitudes in the Himalayan mountains to lowland tropical forests and even to the dry climate of the Australian desert.

This genus of sympodial orchids develop pseudobulbs, which vary in length from under a centimetre (e.g. Dendrobium leucocyanum) to several metres long (e.g. Dendrobium discolor), resembling canes. A few grow into long reedlike stems. Leaf bases form sheaths that completely envelope the stem. In the section Formosae (e.g. Dendrobium infundibulum), the sheaths and undersides of leaves are covered with fine short black hairs. Other species (e.g. Dendrobium senile), are covered with fine white hairs.

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