Dendrobium curvisepalum

Dendrobium curvisepalum Ridl., Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. 9 (1916) 167.

Type: Kloss s.n. (Camp 6a, 3100 ft.) (holo BM).

Stems compressed, 5 mm wide. Leaf sheaths 1.7 cm long, ribbed, with an indistinct tooth opposite the leaf-blade. Leaves ovate, lanceolate, 5.5 by 1.7 cm, coriaceous, base subpetiolate, petiole 5 mm long, apex obtuse, bilobed. Inflorescences 2-flowered, spathe consisting of hemispherical, rounded, 3 mm long external scales which soon dissolve into fibres, and lanceolate, keeled, subacute, 0.7 cm long internal scales. Pedicel and ovary 12 cm long, rather thick. Flowers c. 3.5 cm long. Dorsal sepal broadly lanceolate, 3.2 cm by 12 mm, apex subacute. Lateral sepals oblong lanceolate, falcate, 3 cm by 7 mm, carnose, apex obtuse; mentum 0.5 cm long, rounded. Petals linear-lanceolate, c. 3 cm by 6 mm, apex obtuse. Lip obovate, fleshy, hairy all over, with a fleshy keel along the median, apex rounded. Column thick, strongly concave in front with thick margins, rostellum entire, rounded. Anther conical, in front beak-like, oblong, obtuse, with a large pustulose wart.
(after Ridley, 1916).

Colours: Flower white.

Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest. Altitude 900 m.

Flowering time in the wild: Not recorded.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Timika Mimika Regency).

Notes: Related to Dendrobium eriopexis.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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