Dendrochilum Blume,
Bijdr. (1825) 398
Sympodial epiphytic or rarely terrestrial plants with very short to long rhizomes. Pseudobulbs consisting of one internode, one-leaved. Leaves not sheathing at the base, glabrous, sometimes plicate, rarely [only in the Philippines] terete; deciduous, convolute or duplicate, thin-textured, sometimes rather stiff, rarely leathery. Inflorescence lateral from the base of the pseudobulb (heteranthous), or terminal from the young developing shoot (synanthous), a few- to many-flowered raceme, with the flowers arranged in two rows. Flowers small, usually resupinate, usually greenish, yellowish or brownish. Sepals usually free. Petals free, usually similar to the dorsal sepal. Lip without spur, mobile or not. Column often with two lateral arms. Column-foot absent or very short. Pollinia 4, solid, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium absent.
Distribution
Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 280 species; in New Guinea one, non-endemic, species [Dendrochilum longifolium Rchb.f.].
Habitat
Epiphytes in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
This genus, so species-rich in Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines, is very poorly represented in New Guinea. The only known species is, however, one of the most common orchids there. It is an epiphyte with pendulous racemes (with semi-erect peduncles) of fragrant, small, pale green flowers arranged in two rows. It is very easily cultivated.