Diplocaulobium compressicolle (J.J.Sm.) P.F.Hunt & Summerh., Taxon 10 (1961) 108.
Basionym: Dendrobium compressicolle.
Pseudobulbs crowded, arranged in a row, 1-leaved, gradually narrowing upwards from a slightly swollen base, laterally compressed, triangular in cross-section, 21-22 cm long, at the base c. 1.2 cm wide, at the slightly widened apex 0.7 cm, below the apex 0.53 cm wide. Leaves erect, lanceolate, 11-13 by 2.5-2.9 cm, coriaceous, apex shortly bidentate. Inflorescences 1-flowered, spathe narrowly lanceolate, 3-3.5 cm long, acute; peduncle 2 cm long. Pedicel 10 cm long; ovary 0.8-0.98 cm long. Flower c. 8 cm across. Dorsal sepal narrowly linear, widened at the base, 5 cm by 4.3 mm. Lateral sepals 5.8 cm by 5.7 mm; mentum c. 0.45 cm long, obtuse, retuse, open in front. Petals linear-filiform, 4 cm by 1.8 mm. Lip 3-lobed, 1.4 cm long, with two keels; lateral lobes erect, rounded, recurved; midlobe clawed, the claw 0.34 by 0.35 cm, the blade semiorbicular, 0.58 by 0.7 cm. Column 0.33 cm long, stelidia dentate, filament subulate; column-foot 0.45 cm long.
(after Smith, 1913).
Colours: Sepals and petals pale yellow with light brown tips, lip deep yellow-yellow with dark red-brown dots and spots, especially on the lateral lobes.
Habitat: Epiphyte in rainforest. Altitude 50 to 400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October to May.
Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Jayapura Regency); Papua New Guinea (Central and Oro Provinces).
Notes: Diplocaulobium compressicolle is one of relatively few species with strongly laterally flattened pseudobulbs. Closely related species include Diplocaulobium iboense, Diplocaulobium pentanema, Diplocaulobium xanthocaulon, Diplocaulobium pleurothalloides, and the non New Guinean Diplocaulobium longicolle (Lindl.) Kraenzl. Some of these might prove to be synonymous.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.