Dendrobium pulleanum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 45 (1911) 4; Nova Guinea 8, 3 (1911) 557, t. 90C.
Type: Bogor cult. (Branderhorst) 225 b (holo BO 2x; iso L).
Rhizome short. Stems crowded, elongated, rigid, terete below, elliptic in cross-section in upper part, 75 cm by 3.3-5.5 mm, internodes 2.5-5 cm long. Leaf sheaths tubular, as long as the internodes. Leaves lanceolate, 12 by 3.9 cm, coriaceous, c. 8-nerved, midvein slightly prominent below, apex acuminate, narrowly obtusely bilobulate. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, enclosed in the spathe, 2-flowered, spathe laterally compressed, 0.4-0.45 by 0.4-0.6 cm. Pedicel and ovary 0.65 cm long, 6-grooved, subclavate, triangular in cross section. Flowers c. 1.8 cm wide, ephemeral, fragrant. Dorsal sepal erect, sigmoid, lanceolate-linear, 1.85 cm by 4.8 mm, inside convex, outside strongly concave, thickened, subverrucose, apex narrowly obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate-incurved, lanceolate-triangular, 1.7 cm by 7.5 mm, thickened in upper part, keeled outside, apex acute; mentum incurved, broad, 0.57 cm long, dorsally convex, 3-ribbed, apex bilobed. Petals reflexed, linear-spathulate, 1.65 cm long, 1.8 mm wide at the base, 2.7 mm wide in apical part, thickened in upper part, concave, apex acute. Lip mobile, erect, strongly recurved, entire, 5-angled, 0.8 by 0.66 cm, outside with a longitudinal groove, inside with prominent transverse veins, inside with a basal, weakly 3-ribbed, finely laciniate-verrucose keel which is terminated above the middle by a semiglobose fascicle of prickly hairs, the flat apical part of the lip transversely rugose and longitudinally (5-)grooved, margins in upper part undulate, apex acute. Column at an obtuse angle to the ovary, conical, 0.4 cm long, clinandrium with obtuse, finely erose lateral lobules; stigma angular-suborbicular; column-foot at a widely obtuse angle to the ovary, oblong-quadrangular, 0.48 cm long, 3.4 mm wide at the base, porrect, truncate. Anther cucullate, in front bilobed, 1.4 mm wide. Pollinia oblong.
(after Smith, 1911).
Colours: Sepals and petals inside purple, outside pale copper-coloured, lip in basal part pink, in upper part white, keel pale orange, column white, anther yellowish white, pollinia yellow. Leaves light green, paler below, young leaves tinged violet below, sheaths striped with violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest. Altitude to 250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Puncak Jaya, Jaya Wijaya, and Merauke Regencies).
Map: PULLEMAP.JPG [Dendrobium pulleanum J.J.Sm., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.