Dendrobium and Its Relatives

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii F. Muell: This colourful miniature species features flowers that are often larger than the plant. It occurs in highland areas from about 750 to 3400 m, but mostly above 2000 m, throughout the island of New Guinea and on New Ireland. It grows as an epiphyte or a terrestrial, being recorded from road cuttings and mossy rock ledges and short alpine grassland, but more commonly growing on trees and moss-covered shrubs, in areas with cool to intermediate temperatures and year-round high rainfall, constant high humidity and semi-shaded to very exposed positions. The psudobulbs are about 1 to 8 cm long and less than 1 cm in diameter, often spheroid, forming small clumps. There are 1 to 5 leaves grouped near the apex of the pseudobulb, up to 4 cm long and 1 cm wide, with prominent black warts on the upper surface. The under surface is often purple and only occasionally has warts. The flowers are borne singly at the apex or occasionally from the nodes. They are up to 3.3 cm across and 5 cm, long, extremely long-lasting (up to 10 months) and are very variable in colour with yellow, orange, and purple combinations recorded, although red is most common. This species requires cool to intermediate temperatures and will not tolerate lowland tropical conditions. It should be grown in a well-drained pot, but with a medium which retains some moisture. The use of sphagnum moss in the medium is recommended. It requires humid, semi-shaded conditions with excellent air movement and should not be allowed to dry out.Lavarack, Bill is the author of 'Dendrobium and Its Relatives' with ISBN 9780881924909 and ISBN 0881924903.