Bulbophyllum hirudiniferum J.J.Verm., Selbyana 7, 1 (1982) 24, fig. 4
Type: NGF (Streiman & Kairo) 44589 (holo L; LAE)
Roots thin. Rhizome pendulous, not much branched, 0.2 cm thick, covered with light grayish-brown, coarsely ribbed bracts. Pseudobulbs to 30 mm apart, ovoid, sharply quadrangular in cross-section, to 1.2 cm long. Leaves almost sessile, oblong, acute, to 5 by 1.7 cm wide. Inflorescence short, 1-flowered. Pedicel and ovary not seen. Sepals oblong, acuminate, rather fleshy, nearly equal, the dorsal sepal 0.6 by 2.6 mm wide, the lateral sepals 0.7 by 2.1 mm wide. Petals reduced to a narrow strip at each side of the column, with a point at each end; the upper point with a rounded lobe at its base and, at its top, four somewhat inflated, short hairy, stalked, linear appendages with a rounded top; the lower point with five such appendages; between the two points another club-shaped, somewhat flattened and papillose appendage. Lip oblong, 2.3 mm long, fleshy, top rounded; ventrally, a very faint longitudinal slit with hairy, margins which opens towards the base; laterally, some 12 stick-shaped papillae. Column with very short stelidia. (After Vermeulen, 1982)
Colours: Not recorded.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-814M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.