Diplocaulobium pulvilliferum 'Halcyon'

[naoki]

This small plant flowers frequently (about once a month). A single pseudobulb blooms multiple times. But I couldn't see the open flower until now (it bloomed at least 4 times before this photo). The flower remains open only for a couple hours, and the delicate flower wilted before the end of the day. I believe that the species is from montane forests of New Guinea. If you have pointers to culture/biology of this species, I'd like to know. It seems to be an easy grower, though.


Diplocaulobium pulvilliferum 'Halcyon', front view

The color of the 1st photo is slightly exaggerated. And it has unnatural feel since I was mocking around with local adjustment after Dot's. Probably the background is still too bright. I should have gone with ordinary black for this one... The 2nd and 3rd photos are more of the real color.


Diplocaulobium pulvilliferum 'Halcyon'


Diplocaulobium pulvilliferum 'Halcyon', lip & column

I don't know much about this species. It's a division from Troy Meyers's plant. But mine seems to be pinker than his photos. The lip seems to be quite different from IOSPE PHOTOS:




Can anyone comment on the ID? The middle part of the lip of mine has hair, but IOSPE's one doesn't, and it has wavy ridges. Whitish tip of the lip doesn't exist in IOSPE (and the shape looks quite different). I can't imagine that these two are the same species.

 

[OrchidIsa]

Magnificent!! Wow... !

 

[Rick]

That's a really cool flower.:drool:

Too bad its so short lived. I guess you need to turn it into a big specimen plant and then it would be like a fireworks show:wink:

 

[naoki]

I've seen the photos of Dale Borders' plant in another forum. It really looks like fireworks, and quite amazing. Maybe in 10 years...

 

[NYEric]

May be a hybrid; but w/ what...??

 

[Rick]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=vg6JUunRN5TIkAettYHQAw&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAQ

Barring the yellow petal/sepal tips (old flowers??) it looks a lot more like phalangium.

They both start with "p".

New Guinea orchids, every mountain ridge and hollow has it's own species:evil:

Also the ISOPE site has a big disclaimer on the photos for this genus.

 

[Rick]

I have a copy of OByrne's orchids of lowland NG. Diplocaulobium looks like a total mess. Obyrne's book probably has more affine and species #... for this genus than actually named species.

However, he has a description of (and sketch) of pulvilliferum. Which sounds like your flower and not the ISOPE flower. A raised "pillow" in the mid-lobe of the lip (not a lot of ridges or keels).

From the ISOPE site pulvilliferum refers to pillows. Which are not apparent in the ISOPE flower shown for pulvilliferum. So my guess is that the ISOPE flower is something else.

Also pulvilliferum seems to be "a common and widespread" species on PNG. That often begs for high variation and confusion of similar species.

 

[naoki]

Wow, thank you very much, Rick! It's good to know that the description from your book matches with the plant. You are right, going through the photos of ISOPE, I also think the photo of D. phalangium is the closest (I didn't notice the big disclaimer!).

I found a good photo of the lip of D. pulvilliferum in H.P. Wood's "The Dendrobium" (it didn't occur to me to check this book until now). It seems to match with my plant. He does mention that this species belongs to D. lageniforme cluster, and mislabeling is likely. Wood's photo is slightly pinkish, and the yellow vs pink is probably the color variation due to wide range of the species (or some environmental influence).

 

[Ozpaph]

very interesting

 

[SlipperFan]

The Diplocaulobium is really a cool flower. The plant can grow into a specimen fairly quickly. It's too bad the flowers are so short-lived.

 

[eaborne]

I love that Diplocaulobium!

 

[abax]

I've seen Dale's photo and it does look like fireworks. Your plant has some
growing to do, but the color is beautiful and the flower very distinctive.

 

[naoki]

Mine seems to flower every 3-4 months, but it is always difficult to catch the moment.

Dendrobium (Diplocaulobium) pulvilliferum 'Halcyon' on Flickr

 

[TyroneGenade]

Very cool.

Growing conditions?

 

[naoki]

Tyrone, I'm growing it at the cool end of intermediate. In the hottest time in the summer, the daily max/min temperature is around 29/18C (84/65F), but for the other time, it is 24/13-16C (75/55-60F). I'm guessing that it is pretty tolerant about temp. I've grown it in fairly weak light (about Paph level), and it grew ok. But it is under stronger light now (but less than Cattleya level), and it seems to be happier. I guess it was in crumbled tree fern, but I think I'm using mostly fine bark + some coarse perlite (sponge rock). It doesn't seem to be too particular about watering, neither, but it is relatively dry end (I think I'm watering every 4 days, and it is probably completely dry around day 3, but I used to keep it more moist without any issues). Overall, it is a good, easy grower.

 

[TyroneGenade]

Great, Naoki, thanks for the information. Looks like it can become a good-looking specimen plant.

 

[SlipperFan]

I really like these little flowers!

 

[blondie]

Great show I do love then these make a specimin plant and are in bloom