Dendrobium aromaticum J.J.Sm., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23 (1915) 10; Nova Guinea 12, 4 (1916) 306, t. 111, fig. 200.
Type: Gjellerup 967 (holo BO).
Stems elongated, in cross-section elliptic, 100 cm by 6.5 mm, internodes 2.8-4.4 cm long. Leaf sheaths with a short, broad, broadly obtuse tooth opposite the leaf-blade. Leaves patent, lanceolate, 12.5-16.5 by 2.4-4.5 cm, coriaceous, apex unequally obtusely shortly bilobulate. Inflorescences lateral from the stems, very short, 2-flowered, spathe c. 0.3 cm long. Ovary 0.8 cm long. Flowers c. 1.6 cm across, fleshy, sepals outside verrucose. Dorsal sepal 1.5 cm by 5.3 mm; mentum 0.48 cm long, obtuse, retuse. Petals 1.3 cm by 3.5 mm. Lip 3-lobed, when flattened 0.9 by 0.82 cm. Column 0.42 cm long; column-foot 0.4 cm long, thick.
(after Smith, 1916).
Colours: Flower creamy yellow, with numerous fine brown dots.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest near the coast. Altitude 100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency).
Map: AROMAMAP.JPG [Dendrobium aromaticum J.J.Sm., distribution map.]
Notes: Dendrobium aromaticum is a robust plant, related to Dendrobium longicaule.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.