Dendrobium rutriferum Rchb.f., Gard. Chron. (1887, II) 746; Lindenia 3 (1887) 491, t. 119.
Type: Horticulture Internationale cult. s.n. (New Guinea).
Rhizome short. Stems crowded, elongated-fusiform, to at least 30 cm by 10-12 mm, leafy in upper part, with up to 12 internodes, internodes 2.5-3 cm long. Leaves lanceolate, to 8 by 1.5-2 cm, apex acuminate. Inflorescences many from defoliated stems, racemose, short, subcapitate, densely many-flowered. Floral bracts triangular, minute. Pedicel and ovary 2 cm long. Flowers c. 1.5 cm long. Dorsal sepal triangular-ovate, apex obtuse. Mentum as long as the pedicel with ovary, closed in front. Petals about as long as the dorsal sepal, spathulate, apex obtuse. Lip ligulate-pandurate, with a linear transverse callus above the base, apex calceolate because of incurved margins, denticulate. Column with bilobulate stelidia, filament subulate.
(after Kraenzlin, 1910).
Colours: Flower purplish pink with white tips.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland rainforest. Altitude 0 m.
Flowering time in the wild: November, December.
Distribution: New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay and East New Britain Provinces).
Notes: Dendrobium rutriferum is not unlike Dendrobium erosum, but the margin of the lip is much more finely denticulate in the present species.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.