Bulbophyllum cryptanthoides J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 8 (1912) 56
Type: Bogor cult. (Exp. Lorentz, Djibdja 444) s.n. (holo BO)
Plant very small. Rhizome very short. Pseudobulbs close together, subglobose, compressed, 0.4 cm long, when young surrounded by membranous, conduplicate, acute, 0.8-1 cm long sheaths; 1-leaved. Leaf broadly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 4-5.5 by 2.3-2.1 cm; base shortly narrowly conduplicate; midrib above grooved, fleshy. Inflorescences fasciculate, very short, 1-flowered; peduncle 0.3 cm long, enclosed in membranous sheaths. Floral bracts subovate, acute, acuminate, concave, membranous, somewhat translucent, much longer than the ovary, 0.3 cm long. Flower not resupinated, very small, appearing 2-labiate, 0.35 cm long. Median sepal parallel to the lateral ones, ovate-triangular, subobtuse, concave, fleshy, 0.33 by 0.17 cm; nerves 3. Lateral sepals cohering, oblong-triangular, falcate, acute, concave, fleshy. Petals very small, elliptic, subacute, concave, 0.08 by 0.06 cm. Lip almost flat, somewhat curved; base shortly clawed, as in Podochilus provided with two backwards-pointing, diverging, subulate appendages; blade ovate, obtuse, convex, longitudinally grooved from base to apex, keeled in the basal part of the groove, glandulose-ciliate, lip in total 0.15 by 0.07 cm, attached to the column-foot by a slender filiform filament. Column very short, above the base constricted, 0.07 cm long; filament subulate; stelidia subulate-triangular, acute, somewhat falcate, short; column-foot short, forming an obtuse angle with the ovary, its apex with 2 short keels, swollen, 0.05 cm long. Anther hood-shaped; connective strongly gibbose-swollen. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.14 cm long. (After Smith, 1909, as Bulbophyllum cryptanthum auct. non Schltr.: J.J.Sm.)
Colours: Pseudobulbs green. Leaf above dull, somewhat velvety green, below opaque dull purple, when young strongly coloured red. Peduncle white. Sepals inside white, outside in apical 3/5th purple; margin and 3 nerves dark purple. Petals whitish; margin and midrib dark purple. Lip dark purple, outside except for the groove yellowish. Column white, at base on both sides with a purple blotch; column-foot dark purple. Anther white. Ovary purple.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-434M.jpg.