Bulbophyllum coloratum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 2
Type: Bogor cult. (Exp. Lorentz, Djibdja 855) s.n. (holo BO)
Rhizome creeping, short. Pseudobulbs close together, in two rows, initially enclosed by tubular sheaths, erect, ovoid, with a wide longitudinal groove, later longitudinally multigrooved, c. 2-3.2 by 1.1-1.8 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, petiolate, lanceolate, acute, thick coriaceous, rigid, c. 7.5-1 2.5 by 2.6-q.2 cm; base long narrowed, laterally compressed, in cross-section elliptic; margins acute? abruptly? recurved; midrib above grooved, underneath slightly prominent, obtuse; narrowed part c. 2-3.5 cm long. Inflorescences from the nodes of the rhizome, 1-flowered; peduncle more slender than the pedicel, c. 1.2 cm long, at the base with a few overlapping, subulate-acuminate sheaths. Floral bract tubular, subulate, acuminate, keeled, 0.8 cm long. Flower large for the section, c. 33 cm wide. Median sepal somewhat recurved, narrowly lanceolate, acute; base convex, the rest concave; nerves 3, dorsally prominent, c. 1.9 by 0.47 cm. Lateral sepals widely patent, slightly recurved, slightly falcate-divergent, lanceolate, shortly acuminate, acute; nerves 3, dorsally prominent, c. 2 by 0.63 cm. Petals obliquely subulate, sharply acute, 0.68 cm long; base 0.16 cm. Lip hardly mobile, large, porrect, slightly curved upwards, in outline lanceolate, fleshy, in total c. 1.35 cm long; base thick hollow, with 2 obtuse lobules, lower margin a very small attached to the column-foot, 0.4 cm above the base constricted, the more basal part subovate, concave, with erect, towards the base more raised margins, underneath longitudinally grooved, densely reddish brown warty-punctate, 0.27 cm wide; front part ovate-oblong, subobtuse, thick fleshy, convex, its margins strongly recurved, underneath contingentibus, papillose, c. 1 by 0.38 cm. Column moderately long, strongly curved, below the stigma gibbose, 0.5 cm long; clinandrium dilated, dorsally notched, bilobulate; stelidia rather large, quadrangular, with tridentate apex, with a lower tooth. Anther inserted between clinandrium lobules, cucullate, ovate, shortly acuminate; base retuse; connective thickened, almost 0.1 cm long. Pollinia strongly laterally compressed, oblong, yellow; stigma longitudinal, linear, deeply concave. Ovary above thickened, 6-grooved, 0.9 cm long; pedicel articulate 0.45 cm above the base, c. 1.6 cm long. (After Smith, 1911)
Colours: Pseudobulbs opaque, green, suffused dirty violet. Leaf subopaque, dark green; narrowed part dirty violet. Peduncle dark purple.Floral bract with greenish keel and apex. Median sepal whitish, with 3 longitudinal, wide, more or less merging dark purple stripes. Lateral sepals with 3 longitudinal, wide, more distinctly merging dark purple stripes. Petals whitish, stripes wide, dark purple, with less dark purple margin. Lip with dark purple, reddish brown warty-punctate, underneath red base; front part yellow, except for the apex densely reddish brown punctuate. Column somewhat shiny, white, slightly suffused purple, the base with a transverse row of purple spots; stelidia with a lemon yellow lower tooth; stigma purple. Anther with whitish base; connective dark brown. Ovary dirty purple, grooves pale red; pedicel dark purple.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 450-900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, June, July, August, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-373M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.