Dendrobium govidjoae

Dendrobium govidjoae Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 572; 21 (1923) t. 191, fig. 718.

Type: Schlechter 19726 (holo B, lost).

Rhizome short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, minutely papillose-hairy. Stems closely spaced, pendulous, up to 100 cm long, very densely many-leaved, unbranched or rarely sparsely branched. Leaves bilaterally flattened, obliquely lanceolate, 2-4 by 0.5 cm, apex acute, coriaceous. Inflorescences laterally from the stem or apical, sometimes in almost head-like clusters, short, 1-flowered, peduncle-scales overlapping, acute. Floral bract ovate, much longer than the ovary, apex acuminate. Ovary 0.3 cm long, obconical, glabrous. Flower c. 1.2 cm long. Dorsal sepal ovate, 0.75 cm long, apex acute to apiculate. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, widened at the base, 0.75 cm long, apex acute to apiculate; mentum oblongoid-conical, 0.6 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely lanceolate-oblong, c. 0.7 cm long, apex subcuspidate. Lip narrowly oblong-ligulate, 0.9 by 0.3 cm, minutely papillose except for a median linear-ligulate shiny strip, margins slightly undulate, apex subtruncate-rounded, apiculate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules short, obtuse, the median longer, linear, incurved; column-foot 0.6 cm long, curved.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours: Dark purple-red.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1200 m.

Flowering time in the wild: June.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Morobe Province: Dischore Mountains).

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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