Species of the Month – January 2015
Dendrobium ovatum (L.) Kraenzl.
Synonyms: Callista ovata (L.) Kuntze ,
The name Dendrobium is derived from Greek words for tree and life alluding to its epiphytic habitat. One of the larger genera in orchid family, with more than a thousand species. The species are mainly sympodial epiphytes.
Dendrobium ovatum (L.) Kraenzl. an epiphytic orchid found commonly in many parts of Central and Southern Western Ghats in India. This species usually found in open deciduous forest on trees where there is not great amount of foliage.
Flowers are small usually found in large number on a inflorescence. Labellum greenish in color and has soft hairs. Pseudobulbs relatively short and inflorescence is terminal or lateral from axils of fallen leaves. Plant is devoid of leaves when in flower.
Plant seem to have varied flowering season depending on the climatic conditions. Abraham and Vatsala note that the flowering season for this species in Southern Western Ghats to be March-April. However Santapau and Kapadia note the flowering time to be September-January in the Central Western Ghats.
Though this is one of the commonly seem species in the wild at many places, this does not seem to be very popular in culture. Perhaps for its own good, as the over collection of species from the wild has become one of the major factors for disappearance of the species from the jungles all over the world.
Threats: Several threats posed for these species (for a lot of other species as well) in the wild, including road widening and logging in the Western Ghats region. There are also cases of people collecting the plants for their beautiful flowers, but without proper knowledge of culture requirements they perish soon after.
References:
1. Critical notes on the Orchidaceae of Bombay State – Santapau and Kapadia
2. Introduction to Orchids – Abraham and Vatsala
Article by: Ravee Bhat