Dendrobium violaceopictum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 592; 21 (1928) t. 198, fig. 744.
Type: Schlechter 17079 (holo B, lost; iso AD, AMES, G, NSW); s.n. (BO, L).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect to patent, subflexuose, terete, 30-45 cm by 2.5-3 mm, many-leaved, unbranched. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, narrowly lanceolate-ligulate, 6-9 by 1.1-1.4 cm, apex subacute. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, peduncle hardly developed, 2-flowered, spathe small, laterally compressed, obtuse. Ovary 0.8 cm long, subsessile, obconical, glabrous. Flowers c. 3 cm across. Sepals strongly incurved. Dorsal sepal oblong-ligulate, 2.2 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals strongly falcate, a little widened at the base, 2.2 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum short, obtuse. Petals obliquely falcate-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, incurved, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed above the middle, 0.6 by 0.4 cm, in the basal half with transverse warts, with a basal keel extending and gradually narrowing to the base of the midlobe, on the base of the midlobe with minute warts; lateral lobes falcate-oblong, obtuse; midlobe larger, broadly rhombic, apex acuminate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded, the median minute, tooth-like; column-foot incurved. Anther rhomboid-cucullate, excised in front, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower white with violet-red spots and dots, the column white.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000-1200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, December.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province).
Map: VIOPIMAP.JPG [Dendrobium violaceopictum Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.