Dendrobium fissum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 601; 21 (1928) t. 202, fig. 759.
Type: Schlechter 18493 (holo B, lost).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect to patent, unbranched, often somewhat flexuose, slightly laterally compressed, 60-70 cm by 4-5 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, 3.5-9 by 0.8-2.3 cm. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, peduncle almost absent, 2-flowered; spathe short, laterally compressed, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 0.7 cm long, glabrous. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal oblong, 0.9 cm long, glabrous, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate, a little widened at the base, 0.9 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum short, obtuse. Petals obliquely oblong-ligulate, slightly narrowed to the base, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed in the middle, 0.55 by 0.65 cm, in basal half with transverse warts, with a densely papillose basal keel extending to the base of the midlobe, the midlobe densely covered with backwards-pointing subulate papillae; lateral lobes falcate, oblong-ligulate, interior margin denticulate, apex obtuse; midlobe a little longer, broadly rhombic, lateral margins deeply lacerate, apex shortly acuminate. Column short, rather thick, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded, the median smaller, tooth-like; column-foot concave. Anther rounded-cucullate, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower yellowish white, the lip with a yellow keel, violet warts and yellow papillae, the column-foot at the apex with an orange-yellow spot.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, October.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency); Papua New Guinea (Madang/Eastern Highlands Province).
Map: FISSUMAP.JPG [Dendrobium fissum Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.