Dendrobium pantherinum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 579; 21 (1928) t. 193, fig. 723.
Type: Schlechter 18012 (holo B, lost; iso BO, L).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect, slender, slightly laterally compressed, 100-120 cm by 5 mm, many-leaved, unbranched. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem, minutely rugulose, at the apex extended into an obtuse lobule. Leaves erect-patent, linear, slightly narrowed to the apex, 12-15 by 1-1.4 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences lateral from the stem, patent, peduncle 2 cm long, 2-flowered, outer spathe short, semiorbicular, broadly obtuse, inner spathe much longer, oblong, obtuse. Floral bracts caducous. Pedicel and ovary 1 cm long, slender, glabrous. Flowers c. 16 cm across. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, 8 cm long, apex elongated-filiform. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, widened at the base, 8 cm long, apex elongated-filiform; mentum 0.3 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely lanceolate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex elongated-filiform. Lip 3-lobed near the middle, 1.5 by 1.1 cm, oblong-cuneate at the base, with an oblanceolate-linear keel extending from the base to the base of the midlobe, the basal half of the lip with sparse tooth-like papillae, on the midlobe with a large cushion-like patch of flexuose hairs; lateral lobes obliquely oblong, the interior margin minutely denticulate, apex obtuse; midlobe almost thrice as long as the lateral lobes, quadrate-oblong, margins undulate-serrulate incised, apex retuse, minutely apiculate. Column short, glabrous, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded-truncate, serrulate, the median small, tooth-like; column-foot concave, 0.3 cm long. Anther quadrate-cucullate, in front truncate, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Sepals and petals light yellow with dark red blotches; lip white with a yellow keel, column-foot in front golden yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte on solitary trees in lower montane forest. Altitude 1100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Finisterre Mountains).
Map: PANTHMAP.JPG [Dendrobium pantherinum Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.