Bulbophyllum section Brachyantha Rchb.f. in Walp., Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 (1861) 264
Small to medium sized epiphytes (large: Bulbophyllum graveolens). Rhizomes creeping; rhizome bracts (rather) thin, surface glabrous to colliculate, caducous, but veins persistent as fibres. Roots sprouting below the pseudobulbs, spreading, glabrous to somewhat papuillose-verrucate, locally hirsute. Pseudobulbs distinct compared to the size of the plant, 1-leafed, with shoots sprouting at its basal node, free. Leaves persistent, rather thick. Inflorescences sprouting from the basal node of the pseudobulb or from nodes near the pseudobulb, single, usually a 2— many-flowered, (approx.) subumbellate raceme, with flowers spirally arranged. Peduncle shorter then the pseudobulbs to as long as the leaves, peduncle bracts 3— 5, with the upper up to above half-way the peduncle. Rachis if present somewhat thickened or not. Flowers usually approx. all open simultaneously per inflorescence; floral bracts not amplexicaul; pedicel with the basal node up to 3 x the diameter of the pedicel above the floral bract attachment, distinctly longer than the ovary (pedicel with the basal node often level with the floral bract attachment in the uppermost flowers of racemose inflorescences). Sepals twisted with the upper margins towards each other close to the base, free or the laterals, (partly) adherent to adnate along the upper margin, sometimes also (partly) along the lower margin, the laterals 1.2— 6 times as long as the median; 3— 60 mm long, elliptic or oblong to ovate to triangular, truncate to long acuminate (with a thickened tip) or caudate (with a thickened tip), margins entire, glabrous; thin to rather thick, 3— 11-veined, surface glabrous, or (partly) papillose-verruculate abaxially. Petals 2.2— 12 mm long, elliptic or oblong to (ob-)ovate to triangular, emarginate (and caudate) to long acuminate or caudate, margins entire, glabrous; thin to rather thick, 3— 5-veined, surface glabrous. Lip mobile on a thin ligament, without auricles, undivided, 1.5— 8 mm long, ovate to triangular, sometimes slightly constricted approx. half-way, margins entire, glabrous; adaxially without ridges or with two inconspicuous to very distinct, obtuse ridges either running parallel or in approx. flexural position, surface glabrous (keels on adaxial side also papillose to hirsute in Bulbophyllum graveolens). Column with rostellum front receding in between the stelidia tips, stigma large, without or with keels inside (two on the front wall, a single on the back wall), proximally not protruding, column foot tapering towards its top or not, without lateral lobes next to the ligament, or with two patent, rounded teeth, free part rather long. Stelidia more than 1/2 of the length of the column or shorter, deltoid to triangular to subulate, entire to erose along the upper margin, often with an inconspicuous to distinct, patent, deltoid to triangular, rounded to acute tooth or wing along the lower margin. Anther abaxially with a (rather) low, obtuse crest, front (distinctly) concave, front margin somewhat drawn out or not. Pollinia 4, the inner distinctly more than half as long as the outer, with or without a single stipes.
Distribution
New Guinea: 1 taxon. Altogether 36 provisionally accepted taxa (91 names): India to China, Taiwan, Japan, to Java, Sumatra, Philippines; New Guinea.
Section Umbellatae differs from section Pahudia with 1-flowered or subumbellate racemose inflorescences by having the basal node of the pedicel well above the floral bract attachment.
The following taxa in this program belong to this Section:
Bulbophyllum graveolens