Dendrobium speciosum var. speciosum

Rock-dwelling, sometimes forming colonies to c. 1 m diam. or more. Pseudobulbs tough and fibrous, stout at base and tapering upwards, straight or curved, partly covered in sheathing bracts (those covering new growth sometimes purplish). Leaves 1–5 at top of pseudobulb, thick, leathery, oblong-ovate or oblong-elliptic, often concave above, obtuse, 7–25 cm long, 2–7 cm wide. Inflorescences from leaf axils or terminal, c. 20–40 cm long; pedicels (including ovary) 2–4 cm long, subtending bracts triangular; flowers numerous, white, cream or pale yellow, fragrant, with purple markings on labellum, chin-like extension of fused sepal-bases short, broad, thick, curved. Dorsal sepal obliquely erect, linear-triangular, acute, 2–3 cm long; free part of lateral sepals usually incurved, narrowly triangular, blunt, c. 2 cm long. Petals erect or incurved, linear-pointed, c. 2 cm long, narrower than sepals. Labellum c. 2 cm long, lower part erect, then curved through a right angle, then straight; lateral lobes erect, more or less obliquely triangular, embracing column, obtuse; mide-lobe more or less broadly ovate with a small triangular point; lamina callus a central ridge tapered at both ends. Flowers Sep.–Nov.