Which one of these is relatively common than the other?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

OI believe I have Dendrobium hancockii and Dendrobium odiosum, and there might be a third species involved, idk.

I didn't realize there were possibly 3 separate species of "Bamboo Orchids", until I read some info about them on Jay's Internet Orchid Encyclopedia. Then I went back to the nursery and looked at the bamboo-like Dendrobiums they have growing on their racks. They had them growing next to each other which was why I assumed they were all the same. But then, I started seeing how different one was compared to the other. And then I asked the nursery owner if there were two distinct species and he said yes, but he wasn't sure if there was a third. At the time, he called one of them Den hancockii, and another Den hainanense.

The IOSPE also has me confused with having two separate entries with the same flower photo, one IOSPE entry being Den hainanense and another IOSPE entry being Den odiousum.

At this point, I'm unclear as to whether Den odiosum is the same as Den hainanense or not. Or whether Den odiosum should be designated to one plant and the other similar looking bamboo orchid should be called Den hainanense.

All of them look like bamboo. Two of the three have yellow flowers that are shaped similarly, but all three have yellow flowers. At least 2, (what I think is Den odiosum and the bamboo type Den sp.), of the 3 smell like honey.

The easiest to tell the difference with is between what may be Den odiosum and Den hancockii. The unidentified bamboo looking Den sp. is almost identical to what I believe is Den odiosum.

Here's what I notice in the differences between Den hancockii and what might be Den odiosum.

The plant that is possibly Dendrobium odiosum, is a much smaller plant overall. It's leaves are more rectangular/trapezoidal in shape and are between 3/4" and 1" long. Buds are egg shaped for Den odiosum.

Whereas Dendrobium hancockii is a much larger plant overall. The sepals and petals on this flower taper to a point. Not to mention, the leaves taper to a point and are roughly 2" to 2.5" on Den hancockii. Buds for this one are an elongated teardrop shaped.

I'm not sure of this possible third species, but I think they also sell a third species that's very similar to what I think is Den odiosum, unknowingly as well. If this is a separate species the differences between what is supposedly Dendrobium odiosum and this possible third species are that the edges of the lip do not open fully and curl inwards, and the petals are elongated and are not as full as those of what could be Den odiosum, and the leaves may be smaller than those of the supposed Den odiosum. Otherwise, vegetatively, both plants are very difficult to distinguish from one another.

I'm beginning to suspect that Den hainanense is just a placeholder name, but I'm not sure.

Perhaps the one I suspect is Den odiosum, really is Den odiosum, and the other one is Den hainanense.

I'd also like to know which is the rarer one between Den hancockii and what may be Den odiosum.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Here're pics:

The first pic is of Dendrobium sp.

The second pic is of the possible Dendrobium odiosum.

I'm waiting for the real Dendrobium hancockii to bloom to get a pic.

[Islanderboi]

Hello, King_of_orchid_growing,

I google-searched "Den. odiosum" and I came across your thread. I'm near the L.A. area myself, and I'm wondering what nursery it was that you picked up the Den. odiosum at or if you may know of another collector that might have a spare one? I've been looking everywhere for that orchid and I can't seem to find anyone with one. I know that I might be looking at the wrong time of year, but SOMEBODY has to have one, darn it! It doesn't have to be in bloom - as I know that this isn't the time of year for it... I just want the plant! Thanks in advance for your time.

Islanderboi

[msaar]

Den. hainanense is accepted by Kew as a valid name, and odiosum considered a synonym of hancockii. (for what it's worth)
Continuation:
Den. hainanense does not resemble the other two flowers at all, but is a small(er) white flower. And to further confuse me, Den. hancockii 'Kyle' CBR/AOS differs from all the other awarded hancockii flowers; the apices of the sepals, petals and lip are more or less lanceolate (pointed), whereas the others are rounded. This was apparently before taxonomic identification was required for all CBRs, for none is referenced in the record.
Good luck.

[Islanderboi]

-_- wow. Just, wow. lol Yeah, thank you for that, msaar. I looked for the plant at the Santa Barbara Orchid estate and found out that the Den. "hainanense" (as it's known in my area and by Taiwanese growers (the l sparsely green, leggy, plant that has small yellow flowers with pointy sepals and round petals. ) I was looking for, was the white flowered orchid you're talking about. I found out from doing other searches, that they were calling it Den. odiosum, so I've used that name in searches and the title of my question. [lost] Thanks for your luck, msaar... I think I'll need it. lol I think I'd better just be patient and wait for it to come out again in spring. I just don't know how it's possible that the orchid I'm talking about comes out one time a year and completely disappears for the rest of the year!!! One day I hope to find someone who knows the REAL name of this plant!

Islanderboi

Originally Posted by msaar

Den. hainanense is accepted by Kew as a valid name, and odiosum considered a synonym of hancockii. (for what it's worth)
Continuation:
Den. hainanense does not resemble the other two flowers at all, but is a small(er) white flower. And to further confuse me, Den. hancockii 'Kyle' CBR/AOS differs from all the other awarded hancockii flowers; the apices of the sepals, petals and lip are more or less lanceolate (pointed), whereas the others are rounded. This was apparently before taxonomic identification was required for all CBRs, for none is referenced in the record.
Good luck.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Wow...

I'm sorry "Islanderboi", I just saw this message today! I don't even know if you're even on the OB anymore. The year of 2011 was a horribly busy year in which I was not even on the OB much at all.

As "msaar" said, I have just today found out while searching the web, (which was also how I happened upon this old thread again), that the species of Dendrobium pictured on the right is now called Dendrobium odiosum, according to the IOSPE.

I still to this day don't know what the species name to the Dendrobium pictured on the left is.

I have a picture of the real Dendrobium hancockii, but it's probably on the computer that died or it's on my camera; but it ran out of batteries and I still can't find the charger to it, (strangely enough - I usually leave it in the camera bag and put it back when I'm done).