Diplocaulobium araneola (Schltr.) Carr, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1934) 381.
Basionym: Dendrobium araneola.
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs crowded, 1-leaved, slender, to the base obclavate-swollen, 5-12 by 0.35-0.6 (at the base) to 0.15-0.2 cm (near the apex). Leaves linear, 5.5-9 by 0.3-0.4 cm, apex subacute, unequally bilobulate, subcoriaceous. Inflorescences arising in succession from the apex of the pseudobulb, 1-flowered; spathe laterally compressed, obtuse, to 1.5 cm long. Pedicel and ovary 1.7-2 cm long, slender. Flower resupinated, c. 5 cm wide. Dorsal sepal narrowly lanceolate, narrowing to the elongated apex, 2.5 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely narrowly lanceolate, narrowing to the elongated apex, widened at the base, 2.5 cm long; mentum c. 0.5 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely narrowly lanceolate, narrowing to the elongated apex, 2.4 cm long. Lip 3-lobed in basal third, 1.3 by 0.5 cm (across the lateral lobes), with two parallel keels extening from the base to a little over halfway the midlobe, between the distal part of the keels with a narrow lanceolate-elliptic callus which is barely taller than the keels; lateral lobes short, broadly obtuse; midlobe with a broad claw in basal half, apical half ovate, obtuse, with slightly undulate-subcrenulate margins. Column short, clinandrium obtusely 3-lobulate, the median lobule slightly longer than the laterals; column-foot c. 0.5 cm long. Anther quadrate-cucullate, glabrous, in front subretuse.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower white, lip at the base with red margins, callus yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 900-1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Sandaun Province: Torricelli Mountains).
Notes: With its narrow leaves, Diplocaulobium araneola is, at least in habit, similar to several later described species, such as Diplocaulobium mamberamense, Diplocaulobium vanleeuwenii, and Diplocaulobium ditschiense.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.