Bulbophyllum cruentum Garay, Hamer & Siegerist, Orchidee 43 (1992) 139, photogr.
Type: Levy cult. 2507 A (holo AMES); para Brass 11649 (AMES, L)
Epiphyte to 15 cm tall. Rhizome short. Pseudobulbs ovoid, partially enclosed by decomposing cataphylls, rugulose with age, to 3 by 2 cm in living condition, one leaved. Leaf elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rounded to slightly retuse at apex, conduplicate, and sessile at base, somewhat glaucous us, to 12 by 3.5 cm in living condition. Inflorescence one-to two-flowered; peduncle short, to 2 cm long; bract cymbiform, acuminate, to 1.2 cm long. Flowers very fleshy, ringent; dorsal sepal concave-cucullate, broadly elliptic, acute, 2.5 to 2.8 by 1.7 to 2 cm. Lateral sepals connivent in natural position, deeply cymbiform with a reflexed apex, obliquely ellipticfalcate, acute, 2.5 by up to 1.5 cm. Petals from a cuneate base, rhombic, acute, acuminate tip, fleshy, the apical half broadly crenulate-undulate toward, margins forming an inverseV, excavate in between, heavily covered with proTubernces along the profusely branching veins, 2 by 1.2 cm. Lip fleshy, cordate-ovate, obtuse, slightly curved, excavate at base, margins up-curved, in the center provided with 2 parallel ridges completely covered with short bristly hairs, apical half of disc densely covered with profusely branching veins, to 1.3 by 0.7 cm. Column short, rather stout, produced in an extended column-foot with a free hamate apex; clinandrium provided in front and in back with two triangular teeth; connective sharply pointed; the whole column 0.5 cm high and 1 cm long, the upcurved or hamate tip 0.4 cm long; pedicellate, ovary cylindric, to 2.5 cm long. (After Garay et al., 1992)
Colours: Flower rather deep maroon.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-432M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.