Diplocaulobium coplandii

Diplocaulobium coplandii (F.M.Bailey) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 26 (1971) 178.

Basionym: Bulbophyllum coplandii.

Rhizome creeping. Pseudobulbs crowded, 1-leaved, ellipsoid, angular, 1-1.5 by 0.7 cm. Leaves erect, elliptic, 1-1.2 by 0.5 cm. Inflorescences 1-flowered. Flower c. 1 cm high. Dorsal sepal c. 0.8 cm long, apex acuminate; mentum c. 0.5 cm long. Lip 3-lobed below the middle, apparently with two divergent keels between the lateral lobes, which converge near the base of the midlobe, on the claw of the midlobe with a long median lamella; lateral lobes obliquely triangular, obtuse-subtruncate, in front crispate-undulate; midlobe a little more than half the total length of the lip, linear-spathulate, the long claw with irregularly crenulate-crisped margins, the short blade subcordate, apex acute. Column-foot c. 0.5 cm long.
(after Rupp, 1945, mainly after the illustration).

Colours: Not known.

Habitat: Not known, probably in the lowlands.

Flowering time in the wild: Not known.

Distribution: New Guinea (endemic).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea (Oro Province: Ambasi).

Notes: Diplocaulobium coplandii is a poorly known but apparently rather characteristic species, especially because of its very small size. It is perhaps most nearly related to Diplocaulobium cyclobulbon, but differs in the distinctly 3-lobed lip with different keels.

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