Species Information - Dendrobium mussauense

Dendrobium mussauense Ormerod, Austral. Orchid Rev. 62, 3 (1997) 13, fig.

Type: Koie & Sandermann Olsen 1293 (holo LAE, iso C).

Synonyms:

Rhizome, roots and lower part of stem not seen. Stem ca. 1.5 m long by 1-1.5 cm thick, laxly 10-15 leaved. Leaves oblong-elliptic, to 14 by 6 cm, unequally and weakly obtusely bilobed, apiculate, coriaceous. Inflorescences stoutly erect, 1-2 arising from upper part of stem, to 34 cm long, sublaxly c. 15-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, to 6 mm long, acute. Pedicel and ovary to 4.5 cm long. Flowers widely opening. Dorsal sepal obliquely erect over column, usually half twisted, oblong-ligulate, 2.5 cm by 6-7 mm, obtuse, 5-7 nerved. Lateral sepals spreading, oblong, widening towards mentum, 2.5 cm by 6-7 mm midway, 12-13 mm broad at base, subacute; mentum conical, deflexed apically, 1.2-1.3 cm long. Petals more or less erect, once to twice twisted, oblanceolate-spathulate, 3-3.5 cm by 7-l0 mm, 2 mm broad at base, obtuse-subacute, 5-7 nerved. Lip 3-lobed, 3-3.2 cm by 20 mm across apices of lateral lobes; callus of five lamellate keels, the central three most prominent, but all five dilated and more or less undulate on disc of midlobe; lateral lobes elliptic, unevenly truncate; midlobe quadrate, emarginate, margins more or less undulate, 12 mm long and broad. Column 7 by 4 mm, stelidia truncate.
(after Ormerod, 1997).

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