From Yunnan’s Rare Species – Dendrobium zhenyuanense
Zhenyuan Dendrobium (scientific name: Dendrobium zhenyuanense D. P. Ye ex J. W. Li, D. P. Ye & X. H. Jin) is a plant belonging to the genus Dendrobium within the orchid family.
An epiphytic plant with a spindle-shaped stem measuring 10–18 cm in length and 0.4–0.5 cm in diameter.
The stem bears 2–3 nodes; the current year’s stem is enveloped by leaf sheaths, while stems from previous years are exposed and purple-black in color.
Leaves 2–3, arranged in two rows; basal leaves slightly smaller, becoming progressively larger upward; lanceolate, 1.5–2 cm long, 0.4–0.6 cm wide; apex unequally bilobed.
Inflorescence 1–3, borne on current-year stems, nearly terminal or upper-stem; 1.0–1.7 cm long, not exceeding leaves; bearing several flowers; flowers green.
About Zhenyuan Dendrobium
Chinese Name: Zhenyuan shihu
Latin name：Dendrobium zhenyuanense D. P. Ye ex J. W. Li, D. P. Ye & X. H. Jin
Also known as： Zhenyuan Dendrobium, Slender Yellow Grass
Kingdom：PlantaeClass: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Dendrobium
Species: Zhhenyuan Dendrobium
Protection Level: Class II Protected Plant
History of Botany
Between 2006 and 2013, Li Jianwu, a technical staff member at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Herbarium, collaborated with Engineer Ye Deping from the Puer Municipal Forestry Bureau to conduct extensive field surveys in Puer City.
During these investigations, they discovered a suspected new species within the genus Dendrobium, resembling Dendrobium mucronatum.
This species was formally described as Dendrobium zhenyuanense in the 2010 publication Wild Orchids of Yunnan (p. 361).
In 2012, during a botanical survey of the Lincang region, the herbarium team again documented the distribution of this species.
Subsequent research confirmed its morphological distinctiveness from Dendrobium mucronatum: the inflorescence of Dendrobium zhenyuanense is shorter than its leaves, and its lip features a pointed apex with two semicircular lobes at the base, enabling clear differentiation.
Morphological Characteristics
Epiphytic plant with spindle-shaped stems, 10–18 cm long and 0.4–0.5 cm thick, bearing 2–3 nodes. Current-year stems are sheathed by leaf sheaths, while older stems are exposed and purplish-black.
Leaves 2–3, arranged in two rows; basal leaves slightly smaller, becoming progressively larger upward; lanceolate, 1.5–2 cm long, 0.4–0.6 cm wide; apex unequally bilobed.
Inflorescence 1–3, borne on current-year stems near the apex or upper stem; 1.0–1.7 cm long, not exceeding leaf length; bearing several flowers; flowers green.
Bracts lanceolate, 1.0–2.0 mm long; median sepal narrowly ovate, 3.5 mm long, 1.0 mm wide; lateral sepals ovate-triangular, 3.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide; calyx tube oblong, 1.0–1.5 mm long;
Petals lanceolate, 3.0 mm long, 1.0 mm wide; labellum elliptic, 2.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, with 2 semicircular lobes at base, apex abruptly acute and slightly fleshy-thickened; stigma 2.0 mm long.
Ecological Habits
Epiphytic on trees in forests at an altitude of approximately 1,900 meters, flowering from September to October. Native to Yunnan Province in China.
Protect the status quo
Second-class protected plant.
