Dendrobium curvimentum J.J.Sm., in L.S.Gibbs, Phytogeogr. Fl. Arfak Mountains. (1917) 117.
Type: Gibbs 5647 (holo BM).
A small epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs slender-clavate, up to 19 by 0.5 cm, 5-noded below leaves, drying orange-yellow, 3-leaved at apex. Leaves suberect, coriaceous, lanceolate, acute, 5-6.5 by 1.2-1.6 cm, shortly petiolate. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, erect or spreading, 7-8.5 cm long, up to about 15-flowered; bracts ovate, apiculate, 6 mm long. Flowers very small, about 6 mm long. Dorsal sepal concave, ovate, rounded at apex, 5.5 by 3.5 mm; lateral sepals concave, oblong-ovate, obtuse, 5.5 by 5 mm; mentum subglobose, 4 mm long. Petals falcate, linear-elliptic, minutely apiculate at rounded apex, 5 by 1.5 mm. Lip 3-lobed, 6 by 6.5 mm; side-lobes longer than midlobe , upcurved, falcately ovate; midlobe deeply emarginate, with a small mucro in the sinus; callus 3-lobed and dilated at apex, containing crystalline inclusions. Column 1.8 mm long; foot incurved, 3.5 mm long.
(after Cribb, 1983).
Colours: Flowers green.
Habitat: Montane forest. Altitude 2200 to 2850 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: New Guinea.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Vogelkop Peninsula: Arfak Mountains).
Map: CURVIMAP.JPG [Dendrobium curvimentum J.J.Sm., distribution map, redrawn from P. Cribb, Kew Bull. 38 (1983) 285, map 6.]
Notes: Dendrobium curvimentum has the smallest flowers of any species in section Latouria. It is closely allied to Dendrobium amphigenyum and its flower is morphologically similar to that species but only half the size.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.