Dendrobium odontopus Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 612; 21 (1928) t. 206, fig. 776.
Type: Schlechter 17248 (holo B, lost; G, NSW); s.n. (AMES, BO, L).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, patent, unbranched, terete, slender, up to 60 cm by 3 mm, densely many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 0.3 cm wide, entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, linear-lanceolate, 6-9 by 0.6-1 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, subsessile, 2-flowered; spathe laterally compressed, semioblong, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 0.5 cm long, glabrous. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal oblong, 1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, widened at the base, 1 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum 0.4 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely spathulate-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed in the middle, 0.9 by 0.5 cm, cuneate at the base, with a narrow basal keel extending to beyond the middle, on either side at the base of the lateral lobes with 3 oblique rugulose lines; lateral lobes small, narrowly oblong, subtruncate; midlobe large, 0.4 cm wide, suborbicular, broadly obtuse, weakly apiculate. Column short, rather thick, clinandrium 3-lobulate, lateral lobules triangular, apiculate, median small, tooth-like; column-foot ligulate, 0.4 cm long, in the middle with a short pointed tooth. Anther helmet-shaped, rounded, densely verruculose-papillose, in front 3-lobulate.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower yellowish white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Kani Mountains).
Map: ODONTMAP.JPG [Dendrobium odontopus Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.