Medium sized epiphyte. Pseudobulbs cylindrical, to 50 cm long, pendent, covered with purplish leaf sheaths. Leaves numerous, ovate-elliptic, to 7 cm long, to 2 cm wide, soon falling. Flowers 1-8, to 5 cm long, bell-shaped, white, pink, yellow, orange, red or purple; winter. Sepals oblong, laterals longer than dorsal. Petals oblong, similar to dorsal sepal. Labellum spoon-shaped, margins toothed.
Occasionally cultivated is:
D. subclausum Rolfe, which has long, slender, often branched stems and small yellow or orange tubular flowers appearing haphazardly on the older leafless stems. Sometimes listed as D. phlox Schltr. which may be treated as a separate species.
New Guinea.
Source: (2005). Orchidaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
