Dendrobium dendrocolloides J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 110; Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1916) 320, t. 116, fig. 211.
Type: Gjellerup 1193 (holo BO).
An epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs clustered, clavate or subclavate, angled above, 3-5-noded below leaves, 5.5-34 by 0.4-0.95 cm, orange, 2-3-leaved. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, acute, 7.6-8 by 2.4-2.6 cm. very shortly petiolate. Inflorescence subterminal, arcuate-suberect, 5-7.5 cm long, up to 8-flowered; bracts elliptic, acute, 3.5-5 mm long. Flowers small, fleshy. Dorsal sepal oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 5-9 by 3-6 mm; lateral sepals very obliquely oblong-elliptic, wider than long, obtuse, 5-7 by 6-8 mm; mentum subglobose, 5-7 mm long. Petals falcately linear, rounded at apex, 4.5-8 by 1.5-2 mm. Lip flabellate in outline from a narrow base, 4.5-8.5 by 5.5-9 mm, deeply emarginate, with a small mucro in sinus, front margins erose; callus fleshy, obscurely 3-ridged. Column 2.5 mm long, with erose apical margins; foot 5-7 mm long.
(after Cribb, 1983).
Colours: Sepals and petals white or greenish, flushed purple; lip with green side-lobes and a purplish midlobe with a white base; column greenish white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forests. Altitude 1800-3100 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February.
Distribution: New Guinea.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Vogelkop Peninsula); Papua New Guinea (Vanimo area; Enga and Morobe Provinces).
Map: DENDRMAP.JPG [Dendrobium dendrocolloides J.J.Sm., distribution map, redrawn from P. Cribb, Kew Bull. 38 (1983) 285, map 6.]
Notes: This small-flowered orchid has often been confused in herbaria with Dendrobium amphigenyum which it closely resembles in habit and flower size. However, it always lacks the prominent bifid midlobe of that species, its lip being effectively 2-lobed with the midlobe reduced to a small mucro in the sinus between the lobes.
(after Cribb, 1983).
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.