勐海石斛 meng hai shi hu

Replaced synonym: Dendrobium minutiflorum S. C. Chen & Z. H. Tsi, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 9(2): 27. 1989, not Dendrobium minutiflorum Kraenzlin in Sarasin & Roux, Nova Caledonia, Bot. 1: 84. 1914, nor Dendrobium minutiflorum Gagnepain, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., sér. 2, 21: 741. 1950.

Stems narrowly ovoid or ± fusiform, 1.5-3 cm, with leaf sheaths 4-5 mm in diam., with 3 or 4 nodes, current ones enclosed in leaf sheaths. Leaves usually 2 or 3, narrowly oblong, 1.5-5.5 × 0.4-0.7 cm or wider, leathery, base dilated into leaf sheaths, apex obtuse and unequally 2-lobed; leaf sheaths pale white when dry, obliquely drum-shaped, loosely clasping, papery; sheath mouth obliquely truncate. Inflorescences 1-3, subterminal or lateral on upper part of current year’s stem, 2-4 cm, several flowered; rachis slender, ca. 0.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts ovate, ca. 3 × 1 mm, membranous, acute. Pedicel and ovary ca. 4 mm. Flowers spreading, greenish white or pale yellow. Dorsal sepal narrowly ovate, ca. 6.5 × 2.5 mm, 5-veined, acute; lateral sepals ovate-triangular, ca. 6.5 × 5 mm, 5-veined, base oblique, apex acute; mentum oblong, ca. 5 mm, obtuse. Petals oblong, ca. 6 × 2 mm, 3-veined, apex acute; lip suboblong, ca. 5 × 4 mm, 3-lobed above middle; lateral lobes with margin entire or inconspicuously toothed, apex sharply dentate; mid-lobe transversely oblong, margin ± crisped, apex emarginate; disk with 3 lamellae combined into a broadly thickened fleshy ridge, ridge apex terminating at base of mid-lobe. Column short and thick, ca. 2 mm, base dilated; anther cap with apical margin slightly lacerate. Capsule obovoid, nearly equal in length and width, ca. 7 mm, with 3 ribs.

● Epiphytic on tree trunks in open forests; 1000-1400 m. S Yunnan (Menghai, Mengla).