Dendrobium × falconerwardianum, a natural hybrid of D. wardianum and D. falconeri
Abstract
Some unknown Dendrobium taxa have been discovered in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China. Morphological analysis indicated that the plant is likely a natural hybrid of D. wardianum and D. falconeri, and it was named Dendrobium × falconerwardianum B.Q. Zheng & Q. Wang. Its main distinguishing features are: multiple internodes with little swelling, club-shaped, narrow oblong leaves; branching; the median sepal is ovate-lanceolate; the lip has one dark purple patch on each side, with wavy margins, and medium flower texture. Molecular biological analysis based on nuclear markers (internal transcribed spacer, ITS) and plastid markers (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit, rbcL) also indicated that D. × falconerwardianum was a natural hybrid of D. wardianum and D. falconeri. Therefore, based on the combined morphological and molecular biological evidence, it was concluded that this taxon was a natural hybrid.