Dendrobium lamproglossum

Dendrobium lamproglossum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 631; 21 (1928) t. 212, fig. 801.

Type: Schlechter 18544 (holo B, lost; iso AD, AMES, BO, E, G, K, L, NSW).

Rhizome very short, roots elongated, filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Stems crowded, erect, laterally compressed, unbranched, 35-45 cm by 3 mm, densely many-leaved. Leaf sheaths 0.3 cm wide, entirely covering the stem. Leaves erect, linear, 5-8 by 0.4-0.5 cm, apex obtuse, unequally obliquely bilobulate. Inflorescences arising laterally from the stem, 1-flowered, sessile. Floral bract minute. Pedicel and ovary 0.5 cm long, glabrous. Flower not resupinated, c. 1.5 cm across. Dorsal sepal ovate, 1.1 cm long, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, widened at the base, 1.1 cm long, apex obtuse; mentum 0.35 cm long, obtuse. Petals subspathulate-ligulate, a little shorter than the sepals, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed in apical third, shiny, 0.7 by 0.45 cm, hypochile subquadrangular-oblong at the base, with an ovate shiny patch, with a very short, broadly obtuse, backwards-pointing basal callus of which the apex points to a small basal concavity; lateral lobes incurved, rounded; epichile suborbicular, narrower than the flattened hypochile, with c. 4 small median transverse folds, apex broadly obtuse. Column short, clinandrium 3-lobulate, lateral lobes rounded, bidentate, the median longer, triangular, acuminate, on either side with a minute tooth; column-foot broad, 0.35 cm long. Anther rounded-cucullate, glabrous, in front subretuse.
(after Schlechter, 1912).

Colours: Flower outside rather dark red, inside white, the lip shiny, densely spotted red.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest. Altitude 1400 m.

Flowering time in the wild: October.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands Province).

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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