Dendrobium litorale, commonly known as the coastal shaggy orchid,[1] is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a very short rhizome with crowded, slender stems with most of the leaves in the lower half. The leaves are flattened and pointed, the flowers small and pale greenish cream-coloured. It occurs on islands in the Torres Strait and in New Guinea.
Dendrobium litorale is an epiphytic herb with very short rhizomes and crowded stems NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide at the widest point. The leaves are arranged in two rows, and are flattened, fleshy and pointed NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The flowers are arranged along leafless parts of the stem and are pale greenish cream, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The dorsal sepal is NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, about 4sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide and the lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide. The petals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The labellum is NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide and has three lobes. The side lobes are blunt and the middle lobe has a central notch. Flowering occurs in April and July.[2]
Dendrobium litorale was first formally described in 1912 by Rudolf Schlechter and the description was published in Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis Beihefte.[3] [4] The specific epithet (litorale) is a Latin word meaning "of the seashore".[5]
The coastal shaggy orchid grows on trees in lowland rainforest and beach scrub on Dauan Island in the Torres Strait and in New Guinea.