Lindl

Pronunciation:

strong-EE-lee
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Dendrobiinae

Species in the Section Strongyle are in the Subgenus Xerobium, which has plants with wiry, dry and slender stems. The section is closely related to Sections Aporum and Rhopalanthe and some taxonomists prefer to keep the species of this section within Section Aporum. "The group is held together on its vegetative characters, in particular: possession of equitant leaves; lack of any form of thickening of the ensheathed wiry stems; production of persistent, compact, lateral and terminal inflorescences with persistent indeterminate meristematic regions from which are generated single (occasionally multiple) flowers" (Reference 7). The plants grow in mostly lowland rainforests below 1500 ft. Plants grow in small clumps with slender, erect or pendulous stems. They are leafy throughout the length. Leaves are fleshy and well-spaced on the stem. A couple of species have flattened leaves. The one or two flowers are formed from tufts of small bracts on the leafless, terminal part of the stem. Flowers are small and short-lived.

Culture: The culture in the data below are averages. For cultural recommendations for specific species, literature, such as Reference 1 & 2, is strongly encouraged.

Number of species:

Approx. 20 species. (With confusion between Sec. Aporum and Sec. Rhopalanthe, I have only found 8 species in Sec. Strongylethus far): Den. acerosum, *Den. kentrophyllum, Den. mindanaense, Den. salaccense, Den. singaporense, Den. sphenochilum, Den. subulatum, Den. uncatum

Distribution:

Myanmar to New Guinea.
 

Dendrobium acerosum 'Okemos' CBR/AOS - ©2009 AOS archives

Den. kentrophyllum 'White River' CHM/AOS - ©2009 AOS archives
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