Den. Sec. Oxystophyllum

(Blume) Miq.1825

Pronunciation:

ox-ee-STO-fil-lum
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Dendrobiinae

Species in the Section Oxystophyllum are generally epiphytic. Plants are from low to high altitudes in rainforests and grow in small clumps. The leaves are pointed, flattened, fleshy and overlap at the base. The Section is closely related to Sections Aporum, Rhopalanthe, and Strongyle. According to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Checklist of Monocotyledons, the species in this section have been elevated to the Generic rank, Oxystophyllum. Section Oxystophyllum is considered to be in the Dendrobium Subgenus, Xerobium (Ref. 7), which has stems that are wiry, dry, and very slender Flowers are on short inflorescences, which have only one flower at a time. The flowers are small. A small projection underneath the apex of the lip distinguish them from the other closely related sections.

Derived from oxy meaning pointed, sharp and phyllum meaning leaves. Refers to the plants having pointed leaves.

Plants listed in the genus Oxystophyllum, include: Oxystophyllum acianthum, O. ambotiense, O. araneum, O. atropurpureum, O. bipulvinatum, O. buruense, O. cultratum, O. floridanum, O. helvolum, O. kaudernii, O. lepoense, O. longipecten, O. moluccense, O. nitidiflorum, O. oligadenium, O. sinuatum, O. tumoriferum, *O. atrorubens, *O. concinnum, *O. carnosum, *O. changjianse, *O. cuneatipetalum, *O. deliense, *O. elmeri, **O. excavatum, *O. hypodon, *O. lockhartioides, *O. minutigibbum,* O. paniferum,*O. speculigerum, *O. subsessile, **O. govidjoae, **O. hageruptii, **O. oblongum,**O. torricellianum, ** O. tropidoneuron, **O. validipecten

Culture: There are many species in this section which range from low to relatively high altitudes. The culture in the data below are averages. For growing data for specific species, literature, such as Reference 1 & 2, are highly recommended. (* /** With this section, there appears to be three different temperature requirements for warm, intermediate, and cooler growing groups. See cultural notes below)

Number of species:

According to Laverack, et al, Ref. 1, this Section has about 15 species; however, in the Kew Monocot List (7/2009), there are 36 species listed under the genus Oxystophyllum.