Dendrobium fulgidum

Dendrobium fulgidum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 505; 21 (1923) t. 171, fig. 638.

Type: Schlechter 19053 (holo B, lost).

Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs crowded, many-leaved, slender, cylindrical, slightly narrowing to the base and to the apex, up to 40 cm long, somewhat curved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the pseudobulb. Leaves somewhat spreading to suberect, lanceolate or lanceolate-ligulate, 6-8 by 0.8-1.2 cm, apex unequally bilobulate with the lobules acute, subcoriaceous. Inflorescences lateral from the apical part of the pseudobulb, racemose, erect-patent, 4-5 cm long; peduncle short, rather densely several-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate, much shorter than the pedicel and ovary, apex subacute. Pedicel and ovary 1.3 cm long, slender, glabrous. Flowers not resupinated, c. 2 cm long. Dorsal sepal elliptic, 0.8 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, widened at the base, 0.8 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum conical, slightly recurved, c. 9 mm long, subacute. Petals obliquely elliptic, 0.8 cm long, apex obtuse. Lip ligulate, 1.7 by 0.4 cm, base gradually narrowed to the concave base, without callus or keels, slightly widened in the middle, apex obtuse. Column short, clinandrium shortly 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules truncate; column-foot c. 0.9 cm long. Anther reniform-cucullate, broadly obtuse, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours: Flower bright orange to orange-red.

Habitat: Epiphyte in hill and lower montane forest. Altitude (0-) 700-1300 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, September, November.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Biak-Numfor and Jayapura Regencies); Papua New Guinea (Southern Highlands and Madang Provinces).

Notes: Dendrobium fulgidum is distinguished by the short but (for a species of sect. Pedilonum) fairly lax racemes of small, bright orange flowers with a simple, flat, narrow lip.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte, keep in shade.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)