Orchids of New Guinea

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Next Species: Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides

Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 8 (1912) 56

Type: Bogor cult. (Exp. Lorentz, Djibdja 444) s.n. (holo BO)

Synonyms:

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum auct. non Schltr.: J.J. Sm., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 92, t. 31, fig. 100

Plant very small. Rhizome very short. Pseudobulbs close together, subglobose, compressed, 0.4 cm long, when young surrounded by membranous, conduplicate, acute, 0.8-1 cm long sheaths; 1-leaved. Leaf broadly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 4-5.5 by 2.3-2.1 cm; base shortly narrowly conduplicate; midrib above grooved, fleshy. Inflorescences fasciculate, very short, 1-flowered; peduncle 0.3 cm long, enclosed in membranous sheaths. Floral bracts subovate, acute, acuminate, concave, membranous, somewhat translucent, much longer than the ovary, 0.3 cm long. Flower not resupinated, very small, appearing 2-labiate, 0.35 cm long. Median sepal parallel to the lateral ones, ovate-triangular, subobtuse, concave, fleshy, 0.33 by 0.17 cm; nerves 3. Lateral sepals cohering, oblong-triangular, falcate, acute, concave, fleshy. Petals very small, elliptic, subacute, concave, 0.08 by 0.06 cm. Lip almost flat, somewhat curved 0.15 by 0.07 cm, attached to the column-foot by a slender filiform filament; base shortly clawed, as in Podochilus provided with two backwards-pointing, diverging, subulate appendages; blade ovate, obtuse, convex, longitudinally grooved from base to apex, keeled in the basal part of the groove, margin glandulose-ciliate. Column very short, above the base constricted, 0.07 cm long; filament subulate; stelidia subulate-triangular, acute, somewhat falcate, short; column-foot short, forming an obtuse angle with the ovary, its apex with 2 short keels, swollen, 0.05 cm long. Anther hood-shaped; connective strongly gibbose-swollen. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.14 cm long. (After Smith, 1909, as Bulbophyllum cryptanthum auct. non Schltr.: J.J.Sm.)

Colours:

Pseudobulbs green. Leaf above dull, somewhat velvety green, below opaque dull purple, when young strongly coloured red. Peduncle white. Sepals inside white, outside in apical 3/5th purple; margin and 3 nerves dark purple. Petals whitish; margin and midrib dark purple. Lip dark purple, outside except for the groove yellowish. Column white, at base on both sides with a purple blotch; column-foot dark purple. Anther white. Ovary purple.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); see map

Distribution of Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides in New Guinea

References:

Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 92, t. 31, fig. 100[B. cryptanthum auct. non Schltr.: J.J. Sm.]

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Bulbophyllinae
Genus Bulbophyllum
Section Monanthes
Species Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides

Notes:

The two plants represented here by photographs are similar to Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides J.J.Sm. but there are differences. Jeffreys plant has hairs along the margin of the lateral sepal but also the lateral sepals are not entirely connate, they end into 2 points, and in addition the groove from base to apex of the lip is absent. Ed's plant has no hairs on the median sepal and the lateral sepals are connate to the tip, but the lip is not contracted at the base and is not arrowhead-shaped, and there is no groove from base to apex of the lip. B. cryptanthum is out because the lateral sepals are not connate.