Bulbophyllum section Altisceptrum J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 13 (1914) 34
Medium sized to large epiphytes. Rhizomes creeping, rhizome bracts thin to rather thick and papyraceous, approx. glabrous, caducous including the veins. Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs, or also from rhizome nodes in between, spreading , approx. glabrous to rugose. Pseudobulbs rather conspicuous compared to the size of the plant, 1-leafed, with shoots sprouting from its basal node and free, not fused to the pseudobulb. Leaves persistent, thick, veins inconspicuous. Inflorescences sprouting from the basal node of the pseudobulb, single, racemose with flowers spirally arranged. Peduncle longer than the pseudobulbs but not overtopping the leaves, peduncle bracts 49, scattered, the upper just below the base of the rachis. Rachis not thickened. Flowers per inflorescence many or all open at a time; floral bracts not amplexicaul; pedicel with the basal node level with the attachment of the floral bract, distinctly longer than the ovary. Sepals free, 4.532 mm long, the laterals not or hardly longer than the median; elliptic to triangular, rounded to caudate, margins entire, glabrous to erose-papillose or ciliolate; thin to rather thick, top thickened or not; 3-veined, surface glabrous to partly and finely papillose-pubescent. Petals 316 mm long, triangular and widest at the base, or widest in the basal part and then narrowed and tapering towards the tip, obtuse to acuminate, margins entire to finely erose; glabrous to finely papillose or ciliolate; thin to thick, top thickened or not; 1-veined (3-veined in Bulbophyllum nemorale), surface glabrous to partly and finely papillose-pubescent. Lip mobile on a thin ligament, without auricles near the ligament, undivided (sub-3-lobed in Bulbophyllum nemorale), 26 mm long, (oblong-)ovate to triangular, margins entire, glabrous to papillose to ciliolate; adaxially without ridges, or with a median ridge and/or with two parallel or more or less converging flexural ridges (with 2 more knobs near the base in Bulbophyllum nemorale), surface glabrous to finely papillose locally. Column with rostellum front receding in between the stelidia tips, stigma small or large, without keels inside, proximally not protruding, column foot with the free part short or virtually absent (in Bulbophyllum elongatum elongated so that a small or distinct gap exists between the petals and the lateral sepals), with inconspicuous, small lateral teeth near the ligament. Stelidia shorter than 1/2 of the length of the column, distinct, triangular to subulate, with or without a small tooth along the upper and/or the lower margin. Anther abaxially with a (low) rounded crest, front somewhat concave or not, front margin not drawn out. Pollinia 4 with the inner less half as long as the outer or longer; without appendages.
Distribution
2 taxa. Altogether 10 accepted taxa (15 names): from India, China to Java, eastwards to New Guinea.
Revised in Vermeulen (2002: 2).
The following taxa in this program belong to this Section:
Bulbophyllum elongatum
Bulbophyllum nemorale