Bulbophyllum macneiceae

Bulbophyllum macneiceae Schuit. & de Vogel, J. Orchideenfreund 12 (2005) 365, fig., pl.

Type: Jongejan cult. 1380 (holo L, spirit mat.), from Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands Prov., Mataosa, between Bena and Mt. Gahavisuka

Rhizome much elongated, pendulous, branching, covered with overlapping sheaths; roots wiry, mostly appressed to the rhizome. Pseudobulbs 1.6-2.2 cm apart, cylindrical, slightly thickened towards the base, 1.8-2.8 by 0.4-0.6 cm, 1-leaved. Leaf abruptly very shortly petiolate; petiole channelled, c. 1.8 mm long; blade broadly elliptic-ovate, 2.8-5.8 by 1.6-3 cm, convex above, rigid, coriaceous, somewhat verrucose along the margins, apex acute. Inflorescences arising from the rhizome, very short, 1-flowered. Peduncle c. 4 mm long, entirely covered with a few small scales. Floral bract tubular, c. 4 mm long, apex acute. Pedicel 3-4 mm long, ovary often at almost right angles to the pedicel, terete, 6-ribbed, straight, c. 8 mm long, furfuraceous in apical part. Flowers resupinated, c. 1 cm across. Sepals outside scattered furfuraceous. Median sepal suborbicular-ovate, 6.2 by 5.5 mm, apex acute-acuminate, 7-veined, strongly concave. Lateral sepals free, obliquely broadly ovate, 6 by 4.7 mm, apex acute, 7-veined, convex. Petals obliquely elliptic-rectangular, glabrous, with three apical appendages, 2.7 by 1.6 mm excluding the appendages, convex; appendages each rigidly attached to a relatively thick and short, minutely papillose stalk, about equal, porrect, 2.8 mm long, in the basal 0.8 mm ovoid, densely covered with fine slender papillae, in the apical 1.9 mm subulate, covered with c. 0.17 mm long, patent, subulate hairs, the hairs becoming shorter and more sparse towards the apex of the appendage, which is often glabrous. Lip very fleshy, 2.9 by 1.6 mm, mobile, attached to the column-foot by a short, broadly strap-shaped ligament; on the underside with a median groove, in basal 2/3 almost spherical and there covered with long and narrow papillae or short hairs; on upper side glabrous, concave, with erect margins, auriculate-rounded on either side at the base, channelled from the base to just below the apex, in the apical part in the line of the channel with c. 4 pits and on either side of each pit with a very short transverse groove, lip apex triangular, sharply acute. Column 2.4 mm long, very thick, with 0.4 mm long, downwards-pointing, subulate stelidia; stigma small, hemi-elliptic; column-foot simple, 1 mm long. Anther helmet-shaped, in front with a short protruding rim, 0.9 by 0.9 mm, smooth and glabrous. Pollinia 4 in two pairs, obliquely rounded-quadrangular in lateral view, laterally flattened, those of a pair strongly unequal, the largest 0.5 mm long, the shortest 0.25 mm long. Fruit not seen. (After Schuiteman & de Vogel, 2005)

Colours: Sepals yellowish green, more or less densely spotted red-purple. Petals cream colour, finely spotted red-purple, the stalks of the appendages whitish, the appendages light brown with dark brown spots and apices (Type), or yellow with reddish spots and apices or yellow with purple blotches and apices. Lip entirely deep red-purple (Type) or creamy yellow with purple spots. Column whitish with red-purple spots, anther yellow (Type) or whitish, with deep red-purple apex.

Habitat: Epiphyte on isolated trees and riverside trees; 1720-2310 m.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2225M.jpg.

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