Orchids of New Guinea

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Bulbophyllum nannae

Bulbophyllum nannae J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel, Lankesteriana 20(3) (2020) 307, fig. 5

Type: Jongejan cult. 1408 (holo L, spirit material)

Rather small epiphyte. Roots spreading. Rhizome creeping, 0.2–0.25 cm diam., new shoot from the basal node of the pseudobulb; rhizome scales thin, withering soon. Pseudobulbs 0.8–1.7 cm apart, distinct, ellipsoid to ovoid, hardly angular, 1.1–2.0 by 0.4–0.5 cm. Leaf: petiole 0.4–0.6 cm long; blade elliptic to ovate, 3.6–4.5 by 0.8–1.2 cm, index 3.7–4.5; apex acute. Inflorescences single or a few together, c. 8 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle c. 5 cm long; scales c. 4; floral bracts c. 0.4 cm long. Flowers: pedicel and ovary c. 2 cm long; basal node c. 0.1 cm above the floral bract attachment. Median sepal free, recurved, ovate, 0.8–0.95 by 0.28–0.3 cm, index 2.6–3.4; margins entire, minutely papillose; surface glabrous; apex acute; 5-nerved. Lateral sepals spreading, free, recurved, ovate-triangular, 0.8–1.1 by 0.32–0.34 cm, index 2.5–3.3; margins glabrous; apex acute; 5-nerved. Petals porrect, rhombiform, 0.37–0.4 by 0.21–0.22 cm, index 1.7–1.9; margins about entire, finely papillose; apex obtuse; surface finely papillose to the top; 1-nerved. Lip slightly recurved, thick and soft, ovate, 0.64–0.67 by c. 0.2 cm, index 3.2–3.4 (without spreading); margins entire; near the base minutely papillose, to the apex glabrous; apex rounded; upper side concave in the proximal 1/3–1/2, this cavity bordered by two slightly converging ridges which to the top gradually merging into the convex top part of the lip, upper surface glabrous, minutely papillose at the base; underside with a median furrow which is deepest in the proximal, otherwise convex half, top half somewhat concave. Column including stelidia 0.26–0.3 cm long; column foot to the top widened, with spreading, rounded lateral teeth; stigma narrowly obovate, its base not protruding from the column face; stelidia somewhat sigmoid, narrowly triangular, the top subulate, c. 0.17 cm long, acute; pollinia 4, the inner two more than half as long as the outer.
(after Vermeulen et al., 2020)

Colours:

Sepals yellow-green, pale yellow along the margins, nerves dark red. Petals white, yellow-green in the centre, with large dark red blotches. Lip yellow, suffused brown at apex and on underside near the base.

Habitat:

Epiphyte low on tree trunk. Elevation 1300–1400 m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay Province), see map

Cultivation:

Intermediate growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

Not known.

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Bulbophyllinae
Genus Bulbophyllum
Section Polymeres
Species Bulbophyllum nannae

Notes:

Bulbophyllum nannae J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel belongs in series B.

Bulbophyllum nannae J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel is most similar to Bulbophyllum neoguineense J.J. Sm., but differs in the wider petals (index 1.7—1.9, versus c. 3.6) and in the base of the stigma which does not protrude from the face of the column.