Diplocaulobium minjemense

Diplocaulobium minjemense (Schltr.) A.D.Hawkes, Lloydia 20 (1957) 129.

Basionym: Dendrobium minjemense.

Rhizome to 12 cm long, creeping, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs closely spaced, 1-leaved, broadly ellipsoid, compressed, 4-angled, 0.7-0.9 by 0.6-0.8 cm. Leaves oblong-ligulate, 1.3-1.5 by 0.35-0.5 cm, apex minutely bilobulate, coriaceous, rather rigid. Inflorescences arising in succession from the apex of the pseudobulb, 1-flowered, erect to erect-patent; spathe laterally compressed, 3.5-5 mm long, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 0.9 cm long, glabrous, slender. Flower resupinate, c. 2.5 cm wide. Dorsal sepal narrowly lanceolate, gradually narrowed to the apex, 1.2 cm long, apex acute. Lateral sepals obliquely narrowly lanceolate, widened to the base, gradually narrowed to the apex, 1.2 cm long, apex acute; mentum conical, c. 3.5 mm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely linear, slightly widened to the base, c. 1.1 cm long, apex acute. Lip 3-lobed below the middle, subcuneate-oblong, 1.2 by 0.3 cm, with 3 keels extending from the base to a little below the apex of the midlobe, lateral keels slightly curved in basal half, on the midlobe wavy and almost parallel, the median keel straight, the midlobe with an additional keel between the margin and the lateral keels; lateral lobes triangular, small, subacute; midlobe lanceolate, margins slightly undulate, acute. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules unequally bidentate, the median equally long, tooth like; column-foot 3.5 mm long. Anther subquadrate-cucullate, in front truncate, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours: Flower pale yellow, the lateral lobes of the lip with dark red apices.

Habitat: Epiphyte on tall trees in riverine forest. Altitude 180 m.

Flowering time in the wild: July.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Minjem River).

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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