Diplocaulobium tropidophorum (Schltr.) A.D.Hawkes, Lloydia 20 (1957) 130.
Basionym: Dendrobium tropidophorum.
Rhizome to 40 cm long, pendulous, covered with scales that soon split into fibres, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs widely spaced, 1-leaved, cylindrical, somewhat narrowed to the apex, 4- to 6-angled, 2-2.7 by 0.4-0.5 cm. Leaves elliptic-ligulate, 4.5-7.5 by 0.7-1.1 cm, gradually narrowed to the base, apex unequally and obtusely bilobulate. Inflorescences arising in succession from the apex of the pseudobulb, 1-flowered, appearing in succession; spathe laterally compressed, 5-8 mm long, soon splitting into fibres. Pedicel and ovary 1.8 cm long, subclavate-cylindrical, glabrous. Flower resupinate, c. 2 cm across. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, widened to the base, 1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals subfalcate-lanceolate, widened to the base, 1 cm long, apex obtusely acuminate; mentum 4 mm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely linear, slightly narrowed below the middle, c. 0.9 cm long, apex acute; glabrous. Lip narrowly oblong-ligulate, very weakly 3-lobed above the middle, 1 by 0.38 cm, with 3 almost parallel keels extending from the base to a little below the apex, the keels rather widely spaced, the laterals wavy in the centre. Column short, glabrous, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules short, unequally bidentate, the median linear and a little longer; column-foot slender, 4 mm long. Anther subglobose-cucullate, truncate in front, glabrous.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower white, keels of the lip yellow, base of the lip red-marbled.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest. Altitude 700 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Kani Mountains).
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.