Dendrobium patulum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 610; 21 (1928) t. 205, fig. 773.
Type: Schlechter 17987 (holo B, lost; iso G); s.n. (AMES, L).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, patent, unbranched, slightly laterally compressed, slender, 40-60 cm by 2.5-3 mm, densely many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 0.25-0.3 cm, entirely covering the stem. Leaves subpatent, lanceolate, 3-4 by 0.6-1 cm, apex oblique, unequally subacutely bilobulate. Inflorescences arising seemingly from the leaf axils, subsessile, 2-flowered, spathe laterally compressed, short, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 1 cm long, glabrous. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate, 1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, a little widened at the base, 1 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum 0.4 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely oblong-elliptic, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed in basal third, 0.8 by 0.5 cm, broadly cuneate at the base, with a linear basal callus extending to the middle of the midlobe; lateral lobes falcate-oblong, apex truncate, subcrenulate; midlobe more than twice as long as the lateral lobes, apex truncate, broadly apiculate. Column short, clinandrium with several teeth; column-foot incurved, 0.4 cm long. Anther quadrate-cucullate, in front truncate, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower snow-white, lip in basal half brownish violet, column-foot with violet markings.
Habitat: Epiphyte 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: PATULMAP.JPG [Dendrobium patulum Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.