Dendrobium gatiense Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 613; 21 (1928) t. 206, fig. 778.
Type: Schlechter 16991 (holo B, lost; iso AD, AMES, BO, E, G, K, L, NSW).
Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, patent, unbranched, slightly laterally compressed, slender, 40-60 cm by 3.5 mm, many-leaved. Leaf sheaths entirely covering the stem, minutely rugulose. Leaves erect-patent to almost patent, lanceolate-linear, 8-12 by 0.8-1.2 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, subsessile, 2-flowered; spathe laterally compressed, semioblong, obtuse. Pedicel and ovary 1.4 cm long, glabrous. Flowers c. 2 cm across. Dorsal sepal elliptic, 1.2 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, widened at the base, 1.2 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum 0.4 cm long, obtuse. Petals obliquely elliptic, a little shorter than the sepals, apex subacute. Lip 3-lobed above the middle, 0.8 by 0.5 cm, cuneate at the base, with a basal keel extending to and narrowing towards the middle of the midlobe, inside on the midlobe densely covered with transverse warts; lateral lobes obliquely quadrangular, margins minutely irregularly dentate; midlobe subreniform with a short basal claw, 0.5 cm wide, lateral margins irregularly dentate, apex apiculate. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, the lateral lobules triangular, obtuse, median similar; column-foot concave, 0.4 cm long, near the apex with a low 3-lobulate callus. Anther rhomboid-cucullate, glabrous, in front retuse.
(after Schlechter, 1912).
Colours: Flower white, the lip with pinkish red warts and yellow keel, column at the base red with yellow callus on the column-foot.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Madang Province).
Map: GATIEMAP.JPG [Dendrobium gatiense Schltr., distribution map.]
Notes: Dendrobium gatiense should be compared with Dendrobium rugulosum.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.