Dendrobium cunninghamii
Common name
winika, pekapeka, Christmas orchid, bamboo orchid
Synonyms
Winika cunninghamii (Lindl.) M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones et Molloy
Family
Orchidaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Orchids
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
WINCUN
Chromosome number
2n = 40
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands
Habitat
Coastal to montane. Mostly epiphytic on forest tree trunks and branches, sometimes on fallen logs, and found as a also rupestral on rocks, cliff faces or banks. Occasionally colonising brick or concrete walls within urban areas.
Features
Epiphytic or rupestral, rhizomatous, perennial forming discrete tufted patches up to 1.5 x 2.0 m. Rhizome suberect to ascending, similar to stems, producing numerous more or less branched roots. Stems cane-like, long persistent, firm, wiry, and mostly slender, thickening towards base, up to 7 mm diameter, yellow-green, bright yellow to orange, glossy with obvious internodes and thickened nodes; unbranched in lower third, otherwise bearing numerous lateral, widely spreading, somewhat drooping branches. Leaf-sheaths tubular,minutely papillose, imbricating, covering younger stems; leaf lamina 30-50 x 3 mm, dark green, green to yellow-green darkened at junction with leaf-sheath, narrow-linear. Inflorescences 1-6-8-flowered, produced several nodes back from the active vegetative apex, usually as short, slender laterals; floral bracts inconspicuous, short, tubular; pedicel very slender, longer than ovary. Perianth 20-25(-30) mm diameter, glabrous, white (rarely cream), lip and column usually rose-pink, purplish to green. Sepals elliptic, spreading, apices more or less reflexed; lateral sepals fused under labellum and attached to column-base. Petals slightly broader. Labellum shorter, distinctly trilobed; lateral lobes small, often highly coloured, inclined to stand parallel to one another; mid-lobe white, broad, subacute, minutely crenulate; disc with 4-5 pale-coloured, low, longitudinal ridges terminating just above short claw and near to a colourful knob-like nectary situated at the end of the column-foot. Column about as long as its foot, cylindric, very narrowly winged. Capsules initially green, ovoid, maturing greyish-white, often striped with maroon or purple.
Similar taxa
None. This species is easily recognised by its bright yellow to orange cane-like stems, tufted growth habit and spectacular, large white and usually rose-pink or purple flowers.
Flowering
December - June
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
January - August
Propagation technique
Easily grown in a hanging basket in standard orchid mix. Often can be strapped to a tree trunk and provided it is kept moist during the drier months it grows readily. This species does best in semi-shade. Should not be removed from the wild
Etymology
dendrobium: From the Greek dendron ‘tree’ and bios ‘life’, alluding to the wild plants being epiphytic on trees
cunninghamii: Named after Allan Cunningham (1791 – 1839) who was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels to Australia (New South Wales) and New Zealand to collect plants. Author of Florae Insularum Novae Zelandiae Precursor, 1837-40 (Introduction to the flora of New Zealand).
Where To Buy
Occasionally availabe from specialist native plant nurseries
Taxonomic notes
The generic distinction of Winika from Dendrobium was always considered by many orchidologists dubious (M. Chase pers. comm. 2000), in part because little comparative data had been published to support the new monotypic genus (see Clements et al. 1997). Recently there has been much investigation into the validity of splitting the Australian Dendrobium into numerous segregate genera and some of those studies have included samples of Winika (Adams 2011; Burke et al. 2008). Garnock-Jones (2014) in reviewing these (and other) papers has questioned the continued recognition of Winika as distinct by New Zealand botanists, especially as outside New Zealand no one else is accepting it. Therefore, the traditional broad circumscription of Dendrobium is here favoured over the narrow, and Winika is treated as a synonym of Dendrobium.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2007. Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1997).
References and further reading
Adams, P.B. 2011: Systematics of Dendrobiinae (Orchidaceae), with special reference to Australian taxa. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 166: 105-126.
Burke, J.M.; Bayley M.J.; Adams, P.B.; Ladiges, P.Y. 2008: Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae), with emphasis on the Australian section Dendrocoryne, and implications for generic classification. Australian Systematic Botany 21: 1-14.
Clements, M.A.; Jones, D.L.; Molloy, B. 1997: Winika, a new monotypic genus for the New Zealand orchid previously known as Dendrobium cunninghamii Lindl.. The Orchadian 12: 214-215.
Garnock-Jones, P.J. 2014: Evidence-based review of the taxonomic status of New Zealand’s endemic seed plant genera. New Zealand Journal of Botany 52: 163-212.
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Dendrobium cunninghamii Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/dendrobium-cunninghamii/ (Date website was queried)