Dendrobium imbricatum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 9; Nova Guinea 8, 3 (1911) 559, t. 91B.
Type: Bogor cult. (Branderhorst 72) s.n. (holo BO, probably, s.n., no coll; iso L, no coll.).
Rhizome short. Stems crowded, erect, rigid, below terete, in upper part in cross-section elliptic, 100 cm long, 6.3 mm wide at the base, in upper part 3.8 mm wide, densely many-leaved, lower internodes 3 cm long, upper internodes 0.8 cm long. Leaf sheaths tubular, about as long the internodes, transversely rugulose, with an obtuse tooth opposite the leaf-blade. Leaves erect, appressed to the stem, imbricating, ovate, 2.5-6.5 by 1.8-4.3 cm, rigidly carnose, concave at the base, elsewhere convex, midvein somewhat prominent below, base semiamplexicaul, apex obtuse, somewhat unequally rounded-bilobulate. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, numerous, erect-patent, very short; peduncle 0.65-0.8 cm long, compressed, 2-flowered, spathe laterally compressed. Floral bracts broadly triangular, 0.7 mm long. Pedicel 0.7-0.9 cm long; ovary 0.6 cm long, triangular in cross-section, 6-grooved. Flowers 1.5 cm across, ephemeral, sweetly scented like carnations; sepals and petals patent, incurved, very fleshy. Dorsal sepal oblong, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, 1 cm by 6 mm, apex obtuse; strongly concave; mentum subconical, 0.45 cm long, broadly obtuse, retuse. Petals subobliquely obovate to elliptic, 0.85 cm by 6.3 mm, strongly concave, apex broadly obtuse. Lip 3-lobed near the apex, mobile, curved, concave, membranous, 0.63 by 0.75 cm, rounded at the base, with a weakly 3-ribbed, verrucose longitudinal keel extending to the base of the midlobe, at the base lamellate-verrucose, on either side of the keel in the middle with curved, verrucose, interrupted, raised lines, the midlobe with a fascicle of thick hairs; lateral lobes erect, triangular, concave, in front undulate, margins erose, apex obtuse; midlobe very small, recurved, triangular, 0.1 by 0.13 cm, margins finely erose, apex acute. Column straight, conical, 0.33 cm long, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules broad, subtruncate, concave, the median very short, obtuse, stigma large, quadrangular; column-foot at an obtuse angle to the ovary, triangular, 0.37 cm long, incurved, concave, obtuse. Anther quadrangular-cucullate, 0.15 cm long, apex widened, broadly obtuse. Pollinia oblong.
(after Smith, 1911).
Colours: Sepals and petals lemon-yellow, shiny outside, lip pale yellow, the keel red, with violet-brown raised lines. Column and anther white, column-foot yellowish white, at the apex with an orange spot, pollinia white.
Habitat: Not recorded, probably in the lowlands.
Flowering time in the wild: Not recorded.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Upper Digul River).
Map: IMBRIMAP.JPG [Dendrobium imbricatum J.J.Sm., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.