Dendrobium fuligineum

Dendrobium fuligineum J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 439, pl. 70, 86.

Type: Lam 1266 (holo BO).

Stems (fragment described) elongated, strongly ribbed, (more than) 13 cm long, internodes to 1.4 cm long. Leaf sheaths as long as the internodes, minutely furfuraceous-punctate. Leaves lanceolate, 7 by 1.6 cm, papyraceous, on both sides minutely furfuraceous-punctate, base clasping the stem, apex acuminate, deeply strongly obliquely bidentate, the teeth irregularly suberose. Inflorescences laterally from the stems, racemose, sessile, very short; rachis 0.8 cm long, densely 5-flowered. Floral bracts suborbicular, 0.5 by 0.6 cm, apical margin incurved, on both sides densely furfuraceous. Pedicel 0.3 cm long, sparsely furfuraceous; ovary 0.8 cm long, densely furfuraceous, especially in the grooves. Flowers c. 1.9 cm long, sepals fleshy, outside furfuraceous. Dorsal sepal 1 cm by 6.5 mm; mentum c. 0.7 cm long, obtuse, retuse. Petals 1 cm by 6 mm. Lip when flattened 1.7 by 0.94 cm, at c. 2/5 above the base with a 0.35 cm long, bilobed, subulate-lacinulate scale pointing backwards. Column 0.45 cm long; column-foot 0.8 cm long.
(after Smith, 1929).

Colours: Flower white, petals dotted orange inside.

Habitat: Epiphyte in swamp forest. Altitude 200 m.

Flowering time in the wild: September.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency: Mamberamo River).

Notes: Dendrobium fuligineum is related to Dendrobium squamiferum, but differs e.g. in that the lip is not hairy.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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