Dendrobium stenophyllum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 614; 21 (1928) t. 207, fig. 780.
Type: Schlechter 19888 (holo B, lost).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, patent, unbranched, slender, 60-70 cm by 2.5 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem, with raised lines. Leaves erect-patent to patent, narrowly linear, 12-14 by 0.35-0.45 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, subsessile, 2-flowered; spathe laterally compressed, semioblong, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 1.5 cm long, slender, glabrous. Flowers c. 1.5 cm across. Sepals keeled outside. Dorsal sepal oblong, 1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, widened at the base, 1 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum 0.35 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely spathulate-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed below the middle, 0.8 by 0.5 cm, semioblong at the base, with a basal keel extending to the middle of the midlobe, midlobe inside sparsely verruculose-papillose, in front of the keel with a row of papillae; lateral lobes small, falcate-lanceolate, margins subundulate, apex obtuse; midlobe much larger, obovate-cuneate, front margin lightly undulate, apex almost truncate, broadly apiculate. Column semiterete, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules denticulate, the median a little longer, tooth-like; column-foot incurved, 0.35 cm long, below the apex with a low callus. Anther rounded-cucullate, glabrous, in front subretuse.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower yellowish white, lip with violet markings, column-foot with a red spot and orange-red callus.
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: Maboro Mountains).
Map: STEPHMAP.JPG [Dendrobium stenophyllum Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.