Dockrillia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dockrilla
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Epidendroideae Tribe: Dendrobieae Subtribe: Dendrobiinae Genus: Dockrillia Briegar, 1981
Species
approx 28 species, including: Dockrillia bowmanii Dockrillia cucumerina Dockrillia calamiformis Dockrillia convoluta Dockrillia dolichophylla Dockrillia fairfaxii Dockrillia linguiformis Dockrillia mortii Dockrillia nugentii Dockrillia pugioniformis Dockrillia racemosa Dockrillia rigida Dockrillia schoenina Dockrillia striolata subsp. chrysantha Dockrillia striolata subsp. striolata Dockrillia teretifolia Dockrillia wassellii

All terete leaved Dendrobium species from Australia and Papua New Guinea have been moved into a newly created genus, Dockrillia, named after Alick Dockrill, a contemporary Australian orchidologist. Dockrillia are ephiphytic or lithophytic plants, and found mainly along the east coast of Australia.

Dockrillia crosses readily with Dendrobium to make Dockrilobium.

Most Dockrillia plants are easily propagated by rhizome division.

[edit] Selected Species

Dockrillia cucumerina, the cucumber orchid has leaves shaped like little cucumbers.

Dockrillia linguiformis the tongue orchid - from Latin: lingua which means 'tongue', and formis which means 'shaped'. The thick and leathery leaves grow from a creeping rhizone, either as an epiphyte or as a lithophyte.

Dockrillia pugioniformis, the dagger orchid, from the shape of its leaves. Plants can grow to very large specimens, often completely covering a large branch of a large tree.

Dockrillia teretifolia, the pencil orchid, from the shape of its leaves. It has a pendulous growth and is sometimes known as the bridal veil orchid.