Dendrobium vanderwateri Ridl., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. 9 (1916) 166.
Type: Kloss s.n. (Camp 6a, 3100 ft.) (holo BM).
Stems slender, 2 mm wide. Leaf sheaths ribbed and cross-ribbed, with a short lanceolate tooth opposite the leaf-blade. Leaves lanceolate, 11-12 by 0.8-0.9 cm, narrowed to the base, apex long acuminate. Inflorescences 2-flowered, peduncle 1 cm long, spathe consisting of semiovate external scales and oblong, lanceolate, 1.5 cm long and 3 mm wide internal scales. Pedicel and ovary 0.5 cm long. Flowers c. 5 cm across. Sepals lanceolate, ovate, caudate, 2.5 cm by 5 mm, apex filiform; mentum very short, rounded. Petals narrower than the sepals, 2 cm long, basal part linear-lanceolate, apex filiform-caudate. Lip 3-lobed, obcuneate, 0.5 cm wide, with an elongated, linear-oblong, densely hairy basal callus; lateral lobes short, obtuse; midlobe as long as the lateral lobes, oblong, obtuse. Column short, obconical, with short wings. Anther large, depressed, conical, in front beak-like, oblong, obtuse.
(after Ridley, 1916).
Colours: Lip lemon-yellow; spathe chestnut-brown.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest. Altitude 900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Timika Mimika Regency).
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.