Dendrobium decumbens Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 637; 21 (1928) t. 214, fig. 810.
Type: Schlechter 16652 (B, lost; BO); 17296 (B, lost; iso AD, AMES, BO, E, K, L, NSW, S).
Rhizome elongated, stem-like, decumbent, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems erect to ascending, rooting at the base, slender, much branched, to 20 cm by 1-1.5 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 0.1-0.15 cm wide, entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, linear, 1-1.8 by 0.2-0.25 cm, apex obtuse, minutely unequally bilobulate, carnose. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 1-flowered, sessile. Floral bract very small, much shorter than the pedicel and ovary. Pedicel and ovary 0.4 cm long, glabrous. Flower not resupinated, c. 0.7 cm long. Dorsal sepal oblong, 0.5 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, sublobate-widened at the base, 0.5 cm long, apex obtuse; coherent along their entire length, mentum sac-like, oblongoid, c. 0.25 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely elliptic-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed near the apex, from the ligulate basal claw gradually widened to the apex, 0.5 by 0.2 cm, inside pubescent, in apical half with two lamellae which are widened in the middle; lateral lobes divergent, ovate-triangular, subacute; midlobe a little longer, broadly triangular, apiculate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules rounded, the median slightly longer, triangular; column-foot incurved, c. 0.25 cm long. Anther quadrangular-cucullate, glabrous, in front truncate.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower white, lip red near the apex.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, October.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Kani Mountains).
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.
INFRASPECIFIC TAXA
Dendrobium decumbens Schltr. var. stenophyllum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 638.
Type: Schlechter 17292 (holo B, lost).
Differs from var. decumbens by the longer and narrower, subacute leaves.
Colours: Not recorded, presumably the same as var. decumbens, i.e. flower white, lip near the apex red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province: Kani Mountains).
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.