Dendrobium macfarlanei
Dendrobium macfarlanei, commonly known as the coastal shaggy orchid, is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a very short rhizome with crowded, slender stems with most of the leaves in the lower half. The leaves are flattened and pointed, the flowers small and pale greenish cream-coloured. It occurs on islands in the Torres Strait and in New Guinea.
Description
Dendrobium macfarlanei is an epiphytic herb with very short rhizomes and crowded stems long and wide at the widest point. The leaves are arranged in two rows, and are flattened, fleshy and pointed long and wide. The flowers are arranged along leafless parts of the stem and are pale greenish cream, long and wide. The dorsal sepal is long, about wide and the lateral sepals are long and wide. The petals are long and about wide. The labellum is long, wide and has three lobes. The side lobes are blunt and the middle lobe has a central notch. Flowering occurs in April and July.
Taxonomy and naming
Dendrobium macfarlanei was first formally described in 1876 by Ferdinand von Mueller in his book Descriptive Notes on Papuan Plants from specimens collected "on the Baxter-River" by "Rev. S. Macfarlane".
The coastal shaggy orchid grows on trees in lowland rainforest and beach scrub on Dauan Island in the Torres Strait and in New Guinea.