Bulbophyllum serra Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 759
Type: Schlechter 20362 (holo B, lost)
Epiphyte, tall, to 70 cm high. Rhizome creeping, short. Roots filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs 1-1.5 cm apart, cylindrical, 3.5-4 by 0.3-0.45 cm above the base; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, elliptic-ligulate, acuminate, glabrous, including the petiole 25-30 by 4-5 cm in the middle; base gradually narrowed into the c. 5 cm long petiole. Inflorescence ultimately rather densely many-flowered, very slender, rigid, with a few small distant peduncle-scales, to 70 cm high; rachis distichous, serrate, gradually elongating, up to 20 cm long. Floral bracts laterally compressed, falcate-triangular, 3-4 times shorter than the pedicellate ovary. Flowers large, glabrous. Sepals lanceolate, elongate-acuminate, 6 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, at the base along the lower margin somewhat dilated. Petals obliquely broadly ovate, strongly acuminate, 0.5 cm long. Lip in outline linear-lanceolate, elongate-acuminate, as long as the sepals; base on either side with an obtuse, short lobule; margins slightly undulate-crenulate. Column medium sized; stelidia very small, triangular, acute; column-foot incurved. Anther reniform, cucullate, umbonate, glabrous. Ovary pedicellate, glabrous, c. 1.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1913)
Colours: Flowers white, at the base striped with red. Lip dark red. Column yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 80-150 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June, July, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1685M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.