Dendrobium subserratum

Dendrobium subserratum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 634; 21 (1928) t. 213, fig. 806.

Type: Schlechter 19061 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, G, L).

Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect, laterally compressed, unbranched, 30-45 cm long, densely many-leaved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem, ancipitous, to the apex lined with raised veines. Leaves erect, linear to linear-ligulate, 4-7 by 0.5-1.2 cm, apex obtuse, unequally bilobulate. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 1-flowered, sessile. Pedicel and ovary 0.8 cm long, glabrous. Flower not resupinated, c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, 1.1 cm long, apex subacute. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-oblong, widened at the base, 1.1 cm long, apex subacute; mentum 0.5 cm long, obtuse. Petals sublinear-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed in apical fifth, 1 by 0.5 cm, hypochile oblong, with a backwards-pointing, low, conical, obtuse basal callus, margins minutely subserrate; lateral lobes very indistinct; epichile triangular-semi-elliptic, inside with 4 median transverse folds, obtuse. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded, the median hardly longer, tooth-like; column-foot oblong, 0.5 cm long. Anther broadly rhombic-cucullate, glabrous, with a minute dorsal callus, in front excised.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours: Flowers yellowish pink, lip near the margins brown-red, centre and apex yellow.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1300 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Finisterre Mountains).

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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