Dendrobium eriopexis Schltr., in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 170; Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 209, fig. 787.
Type: Schlechter 14650 (holo B, lost; iso BM, BO, K, P).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, rather thick, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, pendulous, strongly laterally flattened, unbranched, 40-50 cm by 12 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 1.2 cm wide, entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect-patent, lanceolate-oblong, 8-12 by 2-3.7 cm, apex unequally and obtusely bilobulate, coriaceous. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 2-flowered. Floral bracts small, much shorter than the ovary, apex acuminate. Pedicel and ovary 1.5 cm long, clavate. Flowers c. 4 cm across. Dorsal sepal sublanceolate-oblong, 2.4 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals falcate, much widened at the base, 2.4 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum broadly obtuse. Petals subfalcate, obliquely elliptic-lanceolate, 2.2 cm by 0.9 mm, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed near the apex, 1 cm long, broadly cuneate at the base, with an oblong densely hispid median callus; lateral lobes almost quadrangular, front margin minutely serrulate; midlobe much smaller, triangular, acuminate. Column short, rather thick; column-foot broad, in front with a median longitudinal concavity. Anther subreniform, in front subemarginate.
(after Schlechter, 1905).
Colours: Flower white, column-foot yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in hill forest. Altitude 600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: July.
Distribution: Bismarck Archipelago (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (New Ireland).
Map: ERIOPMAP.JPG [Dendrobium eriopexis Schltr., distribution map.]
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.