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Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 45 (1911) 10

Type: Bogor cult. (Branderhorst (1909)) 23 b

Rhizome creeping, terete, entirely covered with sheaths. Pseudobulbs obliquely ovoid, distally longitudinally grooved, green c. 1.2-3 cm apart,, c. 1.75-2.1 by 1.1-1.3 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf petiolate, lanceolate, very shortly acute-acuminate, convex, rigidly fleshy; base gradually narrowed into the petiole; margins acute; upper surface grooved on either side of the midrib, midrib underneath obtusely prominent, c. 7.75-14 by 1.65-2.85 cm; petiole conduplicate-channelled, c. 1.5-2.5 cm long. Inflorescences from the base of the pseudobulbs, ascending, elongated, producing several flowers with intervals; peduncle thin, c. 30 by 0.1 cm, with c. 4 small, tubular sheaths; rachis short. Floral bracts distichous, obliquely funnel-shaped, acute-acuminate, keeled, semitransparent, 0.7 cm long. Flowers large. Median sepal narrowly ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowing, acuminate, concave, somewhat shiny, c. 3.6 by 0.83 cm; nerves c. 7, connected by transverse veins. Lateral sepals obliquely narrowly lanceolate-triangular, gradually narrowing, acuminate, concave, c. 3.6 by 1.1 cm at the base. Petals very small, quadrangular, in total 0.95 by 0.23 cm, to the apex lateral tooth 0.25 cm long; apex 3-dentate, the lateral teeth triangular, acute, sparsely denticulate, the median tooth elongated, filiform. Lip large, mobile, 3-lobed, elongated, straight, rather flat, with a longitudinal groove, linear-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, c. 2.7 cm by 0.67 cm over the lateral lobes; base fleshy, concave, laterally with basal, minute, erect, falcate-incurved, triangular, acute or bidentate lateral lobes, between the lateral lobes papillose; basal 1/4th with 4 wavy-crenulate keels of which the outer 2 are higher than ther inner and converge towards the median groove of the lip, the inner parallel and close together; margins densely and irregularly crenate-lobulate; crest of all keels verrucose. Column rather large, broad, 0.7 by 0.43 cm at the base, the margins indistinctly winged, stigma very large, deeply concave, more or less semi-orbicular, its base with two antrorse, slightly protruding teeth, stelidia triangular, denticulate, exceeding the anther in length,; column-foot porrect, its base and apex curved, linear, much narrower than the column, its base 2-ribbed, 0.85 by 0.18 cm in the middle. Anther cucullate, obtuse, 0.2 cm wide. Pollinia 4, elliptic-triangular, 0.13 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.6 cm long; including the pedicel c. 1 cm long, minutely squamuloso-punctate. (modified after Smith, 1911)


Pseudobulbs green. Leaf green, underneath densely pale punctate. Peduncle dark brown. Floral bracts pale greenish, keel green. Median sepal ochrish-white; nerves purple. Lateral sepals ochrish-white; nerves purple. Petals transparent, the longitudinal stripes and thread purple. Lip dark purple, yellowish at the base. Column-foot purple-marmorate. Anther white, underneath purple. Pollinia yellow. Pedical and ovary pale yellow-green suffused dirty purple.

Epiphyte on tall trees in lowland forest; 50-400 m.

Malesia (New Guinea).

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map

Distribution of Bulbophyllum digoelense in New Guinea

Warm growing epiphyte.

March, April.

  • Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 3 (1911) 593, t. 105A
  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 758
  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 251, fig. 955
  • Howcroft, N.H.S., Orchadian 10 (1990) 47, fig. 1 & 2
  • O'Byrne, P., Lowland Orchid. Papua New Guinea (1994) 418, fig., pl.
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Dendrobieae
  • Subtribe Bulbophyllinae
  • Genus Bulbophyllum
  • Section Intervallatae
  • Species Bulbophyllum digoelense

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Bulbophyllum digoelense

Overview picture of Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., plant habit, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower, oblique front view, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower, oblique front view, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, oblique lateral view, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, column, front view, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, base of lip, back view, photo P. Jongejan, collection Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, cult. P. Jongejan 180

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, lateral view, photo A. Schuiteman, Leiden cult. 20030912

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, oblique lateral view, photo A. Schuiteman, Leiden cult. 20030912

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, column and lip, lateral view, photo E.F. de Vogel, Leiden cult. 20030912

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, column and lip, front view, photo E.F. de Vogel, Leiden cult. 20030912

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., inflorescence with flower, photo A. Schuiteman, Leiden cult. 940386

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, oblique lateral view, photo A. Schuiteman, Leiden cult. 940386

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., plant and inflorescence, photo John Cara, based on Cara cult. s.n.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower, front view, photo John Cara, based on Cara cult. s.n.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower, lateral view, photo John Cara, based on Cara cult. s.n.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, front view, photo John Cara, based on Cara cult. s.n.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., flower detail, centre of flower, lateral view, photo John Cara, based on Cara cult. s.n.

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., P. O'Byrne, drawing

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense, N. Howcroft, drawing, plant habit and flower analysis

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., floral analysis, drawing J.J. Smith, from Bogor cult. (Branderhorst (1909)) 23 b

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., floral analysis, R. Schlechter in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1928) t. 251, fig. 955

Bulbophyllum digoelense

Bulbophyllum digoelense J.J.Sm., herbarium sheet, probably holotype specimen, Bogor cult. s.n.(probably Branderhorst (1909), 23 b) (BO, probably holotype specimen)