A Guide to Dendrobium of New Guinea

Species of the genus Dendrobium are among the most conspicuous and attractive orchids to be found in New Guinea, or anywhere else for that matter. About 560 species have been recorded from this great island, of which many are still poorly known. In this book a selection of 80 species are shown, carefully chosen to display the diversity of the genus, at the same time highlighting some of its most commonly encountered, beautiful or unusual representatives. Many of the excellent photographs were taken in the wild, which is where most of the species are observed to their best advantage. This is especially true for high altitude species such as D. dekockii and D. crenatifolium, which are virtually never seen outside their native habitat as they are extremely difficult to keep in cultivation. As a result of DNA analyses, the classification of Dendrobium and related genera has undergone considerable modifications in recent years. The classification in this book takes these into account. There is an identification key to the sections of the genus, and a checklist enumerating all known species arranged according to section.