Bulbophyllum ochroleucum Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 212
Type: Schlechter 14047 (holo B, lost; iso BM, BR, K, P)
Rhizome erect to pendulous, up to 80 cm long, 1-3.5 mm diam. Roots present only below the pseudobulbs, generally only along the older parts of the rhizome (occasionally a few roots may grow from under recently developed pseudobulbs). Pseudobulbs (narrowly) ovoid to approx. cylindrical, 0.5-9 cm apart, 0.6-2.2 by 0.2-0.7 cm, not or hardly flattened. Petiole 1-7 mm. Leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 2.2-13 by 0.3-3 cm, index 3-10, tip obtuse to acute. Inflorescences single or few together on a short sympodium, 0.6-9 cm, 1-9-flowered. Peduncle 0.8-3 cm; bracts 3, the longest 3.5-6(-9) mm. Rachis erect or arching, 1-6 cm. Floral bracts ovate, 2.5-7 mm, tip obtuse to acute. Pedicel and ovary 27(-12) mm, with the node 0.5-1.4(-3) mm from the floral bract. Flowers scattered (sometimes seemingly distichous), 1 to many open at the time, moderately to widely opening. Median sepal ovate to elliptic, 3-8(-13) by 1.5-4(-6) mm, index 1.6-3.8, tip obtuse to acute; (rather) thin; approx. glabrous. Lateral sepals oblique, 3-8(-13) by 1.5-3.5(-6) mm, index 1.6-3.8, otherwise as the median sepal. Petals oblique, ovate to elliptic, 1-4 by 0.5-2.8 mm, index 1-3, tip rounded to acute; margins glabrous or finely papillose to erose towards the tip; thin; surface glabrous; adx. sometimes finely papillose towards the tip. Lip strongly curved, general outline ovate, to approx. rectangular, either constricted approx. half-way or not, 1-2.5(-4) by 0.6-1.2(-2) mm, index 1.5-2.5 (not spread), tip rounded to obtuse; (rather) thick; approx. glabrous; adx. concave and with 2 inconspicuous to distinct knobs near the base, generally with 2 inconspicuous ridges converging in front, abx. with an inconspicuous, retuse median ridge. Column from ovary to the tip of the stelidia 0.5-1.5(-2.6) mm; stigma not or hardly protruding at its base, approx. slit-like. Stelidia absent or inconspicuous, if present semi-elliptic to triangular, tip rounded to acute; upper margin often erose, or with a an inconspicuous to distinct, rounded to acute tooth along the upper margin. Anther abx. with a ridge towards its base; tip; front margin somewhat protruding. Pollinia 2 or 4; the inner pair if present c. half as long as the outer pair. (After Vermeulen, 1993)
Colours: Plant medium green. Flowers orange, yellow or white. Lip sometimes in a darker shade than the sepals and the petals, or with the base suffused with red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 100-3500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands (Bougainville).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1277M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.