Species Information - Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis

Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 3, 14 (1937) 165

Type: Bogor cult. (Schmidt) 29-XI-108 (holo L; also spirit 3031)

Synonyms:

• Bulbophyllum giganteum Hort., Amer. Orchid Soc. Awards Quart. 2 (1971) 16 (nom. nud.)
  - Type: Spies cult. s.n. (Papua New Guinea, near Bulolo) (holo AMES)

[Pseudobulbs closely spaced, broadly ellipsoid, c. 6 by 4 cm.] Leaves very large, pendulous, sessile, obliquely oblong-ligulate, somewhat falcate, c. 60 by 9 cm, narrowed to the base, very thick-coriaceous, keeled below along the midvein, apex almost retuse, slightly recurved. Inflorescence very short, densely several-[4- to 11-]flowered. Floral bracts large, elliptic, 4 by 1.7 cm, narrowly obtuse, membranous. Flowers 6.2 cm long, with the sepals parallel. Median sepal horizontal, below appressed to the lateral sepals, about obovate-orbicular, 4.8 by 3.1 cm, carnose, outside near the apex papillose, apex strongly subulate-mucronate. Lateral sepals much longer, decurrent on the column-foot, forming a rounded mentum, cohering, falcate-oblong, obliquely dilated towards the apex, forming a synsepal of 6.5 by 3.3 cm, carnose, outside in apical half covered with spine-like, papillose hairs; apex gradually long-subulate-acuminate. Petals much smaller, shortly decurrent on the column-foot, 5-angular-rhombic, 2 by 1.2 cm, margins incurved-constricted above the middle, acuminate, the very tip obtuse, apiculate. Lip small, mobile, cordate, obtusely recurved, 0.95 by 0.7 cm, carnose, glabrous, with thick, erect, rounded basal lobes; in basal 2/5 with incurved margins; above with a broad, swollen, longitudinal band which is grooved at the base and vanishes towards the apex; longitudinally grooved below, with the groove delimited by keels; apex obtuse. Column short, 0.76 cm long, thick-conical, laterally flattened, with rounded- obtusely dilated, almost wing-like margins; clinandrium deeply concave, rounded-retuse, with a shorter rectangular or rounded lobe in the sinus; stelidia porrect, triangular, acute, about equalling the anther; column-foot from a broad base narrowing towards the apex, 1.15 cm long, apical part incurved. Anther cucullate, rather strongly laterally flattened, 0.3 cm long. Stigma longitudinal, oblong. Pedicel sigmoid, terete, 2.4 cm long; ovary 1 cm long, 6-grooved. (After Smith, 1937)

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