Bulbophyllum commissibulbum

Bulbophyllum commissibulbum J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 459, pl. 75, fig. 104 (not 105 as indicated)

Type: Doorman 35 (holo BO, spirit material)

Rhizome short, creeping. Roots thin. Pseudobulbs close together, ovoid to elliptic, obtuse, slightly longitudinally grooved, in front strongly concave, 0.6-0.8 by 0.4-0.48 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf petiolate, narrowly lanceolate, obtuse, apiculate; base acute, above channelled with the sides convex, rigidly fleshy, in total c. 3.1-3.2 by 0.47-0.5 cm; petiole 0.28-0.38 cm long. Inflorescences fascicled on the rhizome, 1-flowered; peduncle filiform, c. 5.25-6.5 cm long; basal part with a few small tubular sheaths. Floral bract tubular, apiculate, keeled, almost 0.3 cm long. Flower conspicuous, c. 4.5 cm long. Median sepal linear, gradually narrowed to the apex and with a long apical thread, concave; with 3 dorsally slightly raised nerves, c. 4.8 by 0.3 cm, thread 3 cm long. Lateral sepals linear-triangular, gradually narrowed to the apex and with a long apical thread, slightly falcate, concave; nerves 3 dorsally towards base slightly raised, in total c. 5.25 by 0.4 cm, thread c. 3.4 cm long. Petals very small, porrect, obliquely spathulate, clawed, oblong, claw somewhat dilated proximally, obtuse, margins finely ciliate except near the base, 1-nerved, slightly more than 0.3 cm long; claw 0.1 cm long and as wide at the base; blade without cilii 0.15 cm wide. Lip mobile, sides above the base erect, channelled in between, underneath convex, recurved, porrect, top part convex with recurved margins, a small median furrow starting near the base and running up to 2/5 of the lip’s length, this furrow bordered by two converging, low, puberulous ridges, lip margins almost to the middle finely ciliate; lip when not flattened oblong-ovate, obtuse, 0.68 by 0.33 cm, when flattened subelliptic, subobtuse, 0.77 by 0.38 cm. Column small, conical, apex narrow; base thick gradually narrowing into the foot, without the anther 0.14 cm long; clinandrium very small, on either side carrying a slender, triangular, acute tooth. Anther cucullate, in outline suborbicular, apex shortly extended and somewhat contracted, broadly obtuse; connective high 3-costuloque, 0.05 cm wide. Pollinia 4, strongly unequal, strongly laterally compressed, suborbicular, the 2 inner ones much smaller, thinner textured; stigma minute, obovate; column-foot making a right angle with the ovary, c. 1/3 upper part rectangularly incurved, thick, oblong, apex slightly dilated and truncate, concave with, margins acute, 0.24 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.15 cm long; pedicel curved, filiform, c. 1.2 by 0.3 cm above the base articulate. (after Smith, 1929)

Colours: Flower streaked purple brown.

Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 1800 m.

Flowering time in the wild: August.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-377M.jpg.

Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.

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