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Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 199 (non Cogn.)

Type: Schlechter 14320 (holo B, lost; iso K)

Epiphyte, to 11 cm high. Rhizome short. Roots filiform-elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs close together, ovoid terete, glabrous, ca. 1 by 0.6 cm above the base, entirely covered with dry, hyaline sheaths; 1-leaved. Leaf erect linear-oblong, acute, glabrous, thin-textured for the genus, 5-10 by 1-2 cm near the middle; base gradually narrowed. Inflorescences 1-flowered, short, terete, glabrous, with peduncle-scales. Floral bracts ovate-acuminate, glabrous, much shorter than the ovary. Flower rather small in the genus. Sepals oblong, obtuse, glabrous, 0.4 cm long. Lateral sepals falcate-oblique. Petals obliquely ovate-oblong, shortly subobtuse-acuminate, glabrous, 0.15 cm long. Lip oblong, obtuse, fleshy, 0.25 by 0.1 cm near the middle; base linear-clawed, obtuse, hastate-auriculate, minutely bigibbose, in the middle with a thickened longitudinally line; margins very minutely ciliate; underneath rounded. Column short; stelidia minute, subulate. Anther cucullate, in front shortly incisedd. Ovary subcylindrical, glabrous, 0.3 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)


Flower dark purple.

Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 700-900 m.

Malesia (New Guinea).

Papua New Guinea; see map

Distribution of Bulbophyllum cryptanthum in New Guinea

Intermediate growing epiphyte.

April, September.

  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 813
  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 276, fig. 1056
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Dendrobieae
  • Subtribe Bulbophyllinae
  • Genus Bulbophyllum
  • Section Monanthes
  • Species Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

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Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum Schltr., floral analysis, R. Schlechter in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 276, fig. 1056

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum

Bulbophyllum cryptanthum Schltr., herbarium sheet, Schlechter 14320 (isotype specimen K), photo copyright the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew