Dendrobium brevilabium Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 520; 21 (1923) t. 176, fig. 659.
Type: Schlechter 19587 (holo B, lost; iso AD, AMES, BO, E, G, L 2x, NSW).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect to patent, slender, subflexuose, up to 55 cm long, many-leaved; not branching. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, linear, 6-9 by 0.4-0.7 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences racemose, very short, 4-7-flowered. Floral bracts elliptic, much shorter than the pedicel and ovary cm long, apex acute. Pedicel and ovary 1.7 cm long, slender, glabrous. Flowers resupinated or not, c. 2 cm long. Dorsal sepal oblong, 1 cm long, apex obtuse to subacute. Lateral sepals obliquely triangular, 1 cm long, apex obtuse to subacute; mentum conical, 1.2 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely oblong-ligulate, 0.85 cm long, apex obtuse. Lip concave, in outline oblong-subspathulate, 1.2 by 0.4 cm, apical margin pectinate-dentate, plicate, apex hood-like, distinctly shorter than the column. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, lateral lobules obliquely and obtusely triangular, the median a little longer, tooth-like; column-foot concave, 1.2 cm long, near the apex with a cavity which has a marginal tooth. Anther subreniform-cucullate, in front subretuse and papillose.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flowers pale pinkish red, mentum scarlet-red, ovary violet, lip vermilion near the apex.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1200 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Morobe Province: Dischore Mountains).
Notes: Belongs to a group of species in which the lip is shorter than the column.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.