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Dendrobium discolor

Lindl. (1841)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Genus: Dendrobium

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

O'ahu Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: Edwards's Bot. Reg. 27(Misc.): 21, t. 52 (1841)

Other References

Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:198 (NEWNAT/O)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Dendrobium discolor Southeastern O‘ahu, Pia gulch, near valley floor. UTM: 630509, 2355919. Mesic lowlands, Ulei/non-native mixed shrubland. Preserved_Specimen Terrestrial orchid with thick stems, 1.5 m tall. Young inflorescences just developing. Spent inflorescence branches persistent. Lau, A. 2016010701 Oahu BISH 2016-01-07
2 Dendrobium discolor Honolulu, Kulepeamoa trail, up near first ironwood grove at top. Preserved_Specimen Thomas, M.K. 23 Oahu BISH 2019-08-15
3 Dendrobium discolor Honolulu, Kulepeamoa trail, up near first ironwood grove at top. Preserved_Specimen Thomas, M.K. 23 Oahu BISH 2019-08-15
4 Dendrobium discolor Mauʻumae Ridge Open, wind and sun exposed E side of ridge, from soil. Associates Acacia confusa, Dodonaea viscosa, Agave sisaliana, Heteropogobln contortus, Osteomeles anthidifolia Preserved_Specimen Sepals uniformly glossy brown with pale yellow margin, lower surface of sepals yellow, petals same brown as sepals but on both surfaces, Labellum only petal with promient veins, veins brown on otherwise yellow petal, flowers resupinate (labellum facing down) up to 1.5 m tall, branched at base stems up to 3 cm in diameter Arthur, K. 114 Oahu BISH 2025-06-04
5 Dendrobium discolor Kawaihau District. Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, E side of trail. Osteomeles-Wikstroemia Shrubland W/ Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Andropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen Petals brown-maroon w/ purple reticulation. Peduncle dark-purple-brown. Pedicel brown-purple. Petioles white. Dorsal sepal rolled back, lateral petals and sepals shinny dark brown w/ slight hairs. Common type in area, about 15 in this area. Tangalin, N. 3851 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
6 Dendrobium discolor Kawaihau District. Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, E side of trail. Osteomeles-Wikstroemia Shrubland W/ Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Andropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen Lemon yellow colored flowers, pedicels yellow, peduncle and flw lip a darker yellow. Sepals and petals undulating and slightly recurved. Fruit green and ridged. Up to 6 ft tall. Tangalin, N. 3848 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
7 Dendrobium discolor Pia Valley, near valley floor. UTM 630509, 2355919. Mesic lowland, growing with Ulei, Urochloa maxima. Preserved_Specimen Upright herb, stems to about 4 cm near base, about 1 m tall, multistemmed. Infl at leaf axils. Corolla lobes flat yellow with many brown spots/blotches. Lau, A. 2016022201 Oahu BISH 2016-02-22
8 Dendrobium discolor Kawaihau District. Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, SE side of trail. Osteomeles-Wikstroemia Shrubland W/ Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Andropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen 4 stems up to 2 ft tall. Upright with bud and 1 flw and 1 fr. Flower dark brown with yellow margins and lip yellow-green, petals and sepals with undulating margins. Bud reddish brown hanging. Stem yellow, base of leaves yellow w/ purple margins, leaves med green w/ dk green mid rib, thick and cupped. Tangalin, N. 3843 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
9 Dendrobium discolor Koolau Mts., Mauumae Ridge, 0.5 mi. uphill from trailhead. Growing amid dry shrubland on ridge crest dominated by native vegetation. 21.304275 N, -157.779395 W. Preserved_Specimen Naturalizing. Polhemus, D. Oahu BISH 2017-01-29
10 Dendrobium discolor Kawaihau District. Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, E side of trail. Osteomeles-Wikstroemia Shrubland W/ Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Andropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen 12 upright stem up to 4 ft. tall. Flowers golden orange, dorsal sepal upright and twisted. Lateral sepals and petals twisted straight or only slightly recurved. Stem yellow, papery bracts, leaves dark green with some yellow discoloration. Tangalin, N. 3850 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
11 Dendrobium discolor Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, E side of trail Osteomeles-Wikistromia Shrubland W/ Wikistromia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Anthropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen Large patch up to 6 ft tall. +15 stems, some with multiple inflorescenses at different ages. Peduncle green-brown. Stem yellow with purple nodes, upright . Leaves yellow-green above glossy and dull below. Flowers aging red. Pedicel yellow. Lateral and dorsal sepals w/ recurved apexes, petals twisted and margins u Tangalin, N. 3847 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
12 Dendrobium discolor Cultivated at Polhemus residence in Aikahi. Wild material originally collected on Mauumae Ridge, Koolau Mts. from naturalizing population, 990 ft. elev. 21° 18' 14 N, 157° 46' 47 W [21.304025, -157.779784] Preserved_Specimen Polhemus, D. Oahu BISH 2017-01-24
13 Dendrobium discolor Koolau Mts., Mauumae Ridge, 0.5 mi. uphill from trailhead. Growing amid dry shrubland on ridge crest dominated by native vegetation. 21.304275 N, -157.779395 W. Preserved_Specimen Naturalizing. Polhemus, D. Oahu BISH 2017-01-29
14 Dendrobium discolor Kawaihau District. Anahola, Moloaa Forest Reserve, E side of trail. Osteomeles-Wikstroemia Shrubland W/ Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. kauaiensis, Osteomeles, Panicum maximum, Syzygium cumnii, Dendrobium sp., Stachytarpheta, Phymatosorus grossus, Psidium cattleianum, Waltheria, Andropogon, Psydrax, Schin Preserved_Specimen 4 stems upright 3.5 ft tall, with fruit and flower. Flower with dorsal sepal and lateral sepals reflexed and undulating margins, lateral petals twisted. Dorsal sepal and lateral petals dark red-brown on adaxial, lateral sepals and lip dark yellow-brown, flw w/ reticulate venation. Pedicel dark brown at flw base and Tangalin, N. 3842 Kauai BISH 2014-06-20
15 Dendrobium discolor Mauʻumae Ridge Open, wind and sun exposed E side of ridge, from soil. Associates Acacia confusa, Dodonaea viscosa, Agave sisaliana, Heteropogon contortus, Osteomeles anthidifolia Preserved_Specimen Up to 1.5 m tall, branched at base stems up to 3 cm in diameter. sometimes producing plantlets from old inflorescences Arthur, K. 115 Oahu BISH 2025-06-04
16 Dendrobium discolor Mauʻumae Ridge Germinated from rotten Osteomeles stem, 1 m tall. full sun on ridge top but lower part of plant protected from sun by ulei. Preserved_Specimen flowers mostly resupinate but not fully rotated and 30 or 50 degrees off. sepals and petals same color, yellowish brown with small purple dots. Sepals spiraled, making a full 360 degree turn through their long axis. Keel petal only one with noticable veins. Arthur, K. 113 Oahu BISH 2025-06-04
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