The difference between Dendrobium densiflorum and Dendrobium sphericalum

Differences in appearance

The first difference is their stems. The stems of the first type of plant are thick, usually rod-shaped or spindle-shaped, about 25 to 40 cm long, and they shrink to a thinner cylindrical shape at the bottom. The stems of the second species are either erect or oblique, generally cylindrical, unbranched, and range in length from twelve to forty-six centimeters. This difference is not easy to observe.

The second difference is about their petals. The petals of the former are nearly round, about 1.5 to 2 centimeters long and about 1.1 to 1.5 centimeters wide. The petals of the latter are smaller, about 1.4 cm long and 1.2 cm wide, which is a slight difference. There is also the lip. The first type is golden yellow and rounded diamond-shaped, while the second type is semicircular and triangular.

Another is the obvious color difference. The sepals and petals of the first species are pale yellow, while the sepals and petals of the second species are white. We can observe this from the picture. However, there is one place where the color difference is more difficult to see, which is the column part. The color of the first type is orange-yellow, while the second type is light yellow, but their lengths are almost the same.

Differences in distribution altitude

The distribution of these two plants in similar countries, but there are significant differences in altitude. The first type is usually distributed in woods at an altitude of 420 to 1,000 meters, while the second type of plants is at a higher altitude, ranging from about 1,100 to 1,800 meters. That is to say, if you go hiking, you might encounter the first type of plant first, and then you might encounter the second type of plant after climbing higher. Isn’t that interesting?