Species of the Month – July 2015
Diplocentrum congestum Wight.
The genus Diplocentrum is small genus with two species Diplocentrum congestum Wight. and Diplocentrum recurvum Lindl.,. D. Congestum, is distributed in Southern parts of India in the states of Karnataka and Kerala, mainly in the Ghats. Whereas, D. recurvum is both in South India and Sri lanka. The name originates from the Greek words,’ Diplo’ meaning double and ‘kentron’ meaning spur, referring to the two spurs on the 
lip.
Plant: It is a small sized, warm growing monopodial epiphyte with a short erect stem and roots from the base. Leaves are conduplicate, few; linear with unequal bilobed apex. It has a lateral inflorescence which is erect or pendant with numerous simultaneously opening flowers. Flowers are greenish or pinkish in colour with pink lip which has two spurs at the base. Flowering in the month of April – May
The species is rare in cultivation but does well when mounted. It prefers intermediate conditions and would like a rest in winter.
References:
1. Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6: Epidendroideae, Part 3, Ed. Alec M. Pridgeon, Phillip J. Cribb, Mark W. Chase, Finn N. Rasmussen
Article by: Dr K.S. Shashidhar