Dendrobium cyrtosepalum

Dendrobium cyrtosepalum Schltr., in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 169; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 200, fig. 753.

Type: Schlechter 14621 (holo B, lost).

Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect, terete, unbranched, 60-70 cm long, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem, glabrous. Leaves erect-patent, oblong to ovate-oblong or lanceolate-oblong, 4.5-8 by 1.7-2.7 cm, apex shortly and unequally bilobulate, coriaceous. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 2-flowered. Pedicel and ovary 1 cm long, clavate, glabrous. Flowers c. 5 cm wide. Dorsal sepal linear-lanceolate, 2.5 cm long, glabrous, apex subacute. Lateral sepals obliquely linear-lanceolate, curved, falcate, much widened at the base, 2.5 cm long, apex subacute; mentum well-developed. Petals linear-lanceolate, falcate, 2.5 cm long, apex acute. Lip 3-lobed in the middle, 1.1 cm long, cuneate-oblong at the base, with a linear papillose basal keel extending to the base of the midlobe, the midlobe at the base with a dense patch of pointed papillae; lateral lobes small, lanceolate, falcate, acute; midlobe much larger, basal part ovate and with denticulate margins, apical part elongated-lanceolate, apex acuminate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the median lobule short, tooth-like; column-foot elongated. Anther rounded-cucullate, glabrous, in front subtruncate.
(after Schlechter, 1905).

Colours: Sepals and petals white, lip yellow with orange-red keel.

Habitat: Epiphyte on trees along the beach. Altitude 20 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (New Ireland).

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, prefers light position.

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