Dimorphorchis
Dimorphorchis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains 9 species, which are native to Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Solomon Islands, and Brunei. It is remarkable for its two flower morphs present on the same plant.
Description
Vegetative characteristics
Its species are epiphytic, monopodial herbs with large, pendulous, spreading, or erect up to 200 cm long stems. The basal part of the stem bears roots. The distichously arranged, coriaceous, linear up to 70 cm long leaves have an unequally bilobed to acute apex.Generative characteristics
The long, glabrous or pubescent, pendent or erect, racemose or paniculate, up to 3 metres long inflorescences bear dimorphic or not dimorphic, bisexual flowers. The 2-3 flowers closest to the base of the inflorescence are strongly fragrant, slightly smaller, and of a different colour compared to the rest of the flowers, which are unscented and have wavy petals. The four pollinia with an elliptic viscidium are grouped in two pairs. It is unknown how the genus is pollinated.Taxonomy
It was published by Robert Allen Rolfe in 1919 with Dimorphorchis lowii Rolfe as the type species.Species
It has nine species:- Dimorphorchis beccarii Kocyan & Schuit.
- Dimorphorchis breviscapa Kocyan & Schuit.
- Dimorphorchis celebica Ormerod
- Dimorphorchis graciliscapa P.J.Cribb
- Dimorphorchis lowii Rolfe
- Dimorphorchis lyonii Ormerod
- Dimorphorchis rohaniana P.J.Cribb
- Dimorphorchis rossii Fowlie
- Dimorphorchis tenomensis P.J.Cribb