Chromosome Homology in the Ceratobium, Phalaenanthe, and Latourea Sections of the Genus Dendrobium

Abstract

The Dendrobium genus comprises over 1,000 species of epiphytic orchids distributed over a vast triangular area connecting Indi a, New Zealand, and Japan, and including most of the tropical and subtropical land areas between 60 and 180 east longitude. This large genus has been subdivided into numerous sections on the basis of morphological characteristics (Holttum, 1957). Members of the Ceratobium, Phalaenanthe, and Latourea sections are distributed in New Guinea and surrounding areas. Both Ceratobium and Latourea are represented by at least 30 species each, while Phalaenanthe includes a relatively few species. Several species in these sections have been widely cultivated and extensively hybridized to produce the improved and popular horticultural varieties of today.