Dendrobium informe

Dendrobium informe J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 110; Nova Guinea 12, 3 (1916) 321, t. 116, fig. 212.

Type: Gjellerup 825 (holo BO; iso L, possible, Bogor cult. s.n., no coll., no loc.).

A small epiphytic plant. Pseudobulbs clavate, sulcate, 20 cm long, 1-leafed at apex. Leaf coriaceous, lanceolate, acuminate, 22 by 4.8-5.8 cm. Inflorescence lateral, short, 9-flowered, 5.8 cm long; bracts semi-orbicular, 1.3 cm broad. Flowers fleshy, 1.1 cm across, densely black-spotted on outer surface of connivent sepals and ovary. Dorsal sepal ovate, rounded at apex, 8.5 mm long; lateral sepals triangular, obtuse, 1 cm long; mentum broadly conical, broadly truncate. Petals ovate, subulate-apiculate, spotted, 6.75 mm long. Lip thickly fleshy, subentire, broadly clawed at base, broadly obovate above, slightly 3-lobed and very obtuse at apex, 9.7 by 8.5 mm; callus central, minute, sub-obsolete. Column very short; column foot 7.7 mm long, at an obtuse angle to the ovary.
(after Cribb, 1983).

Colours: Flowers white, soon becoming yellowish.

Habitat: Epiphyte in forest on limestone. Altitude 300 m.

Flowering time in the wild: November.

Distribution: New Guinea.

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

Map: INFORMAP.JPG [Dendrobium informe J.J.Sm., distribution map, redrawn from P. Cribb, Kew Bull. 38 (1983) 285, map 6.]

Notes: This species is characterised by a single-leaved pseudobulb and flowers finely spotted on the ovary and sepals with brownish black and with a subentire lip bearing an obscure callus only.
A prominent callus is a feature of sect. Latouria and it may be that this species is based on an abnormal, possibly somewhat peloric, specimen. It is closely related to the Moluccan species Dendrobium laurensii and may represent a variant of that or a closely allied species.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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