Dendrobium furfuriferum

Dendrobium furfuriferum J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 115; Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1916) 330, t. 118, fig. 218.

Type: Gjellerup 505 (holo BO).

Stems 30 cm by 7 mm, internodes 2.7-3.7 cm long. Leaf sheaths longer than the internodes, when dried with prominent veins. Leaves patent, lanceolate, 16-20 by 4-5.4 cm, papyraceous, apex acuminate, strongly unequally bidentate. Inflorescences laterally from the stems, racemose, very short, subsessile, densely c. 5-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, 2.6 by 1.4 cm, apex acuminate, densely furfuraceous. Ovary 1.2 cm long. Flowers 2.3 cm long, not widely opening, fleshy, sepals outside densely covered with dark brown scale-hairs. Dorsal sepal 1.65 cm by 8 mm; mentum conical, 1.75 cm long, obtuse. Petals 1.6 cm by 6.5 mm. Lip 3-lobed, when flattened 2.25 by 0.85 cm, at the base adnate to the column foot for 0.25 cm; midlobe 0.8 by 1.2 cm. Column 0.33 cm long; column-foot 0.75 cm long, 3-ribbed, with a membrane-covered cavity.
(after Smith, 1916).

Colours: Flower white, basal part of the lip light yellow, anther light violet-pink.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency: Cyclop Mountains).

Notes: Dendrobium furfuriferum belongs in the affinity of Dendrobium xanthomeson.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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