Bulbophyllum erythrosema J.J.Verm., Nordic J. Bot. 26 (2008) 186, fig. 31
Type: Leiden cult. 20030122 (holo L), from PNG, Woitape
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up to 50 cm long, c. 4 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 0.7-1.5 cm long, erect to patent, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.5-2.8 by c. 0.5 cm, porrect, distant, cylindrical-obovoid, the new shoot arising 4-8 mm from the top of the pseudobulb. Leaves: petiole 0.6-0.8 cm long; blade 4.5-6 by 1.4-1.8 cm, index (length/width) 3.2-3.4, elliptic, acute. Inflorescence c. 3 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle c. 1.3 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest c. 10 mm long; floral bract c. 9 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers widely opening. Pedicel-and-ovary c. 16 mm long, basal node on a c. 6.5 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal c. 22 by 6 mm, index 3.6-3.7, including a c. 9 mm caudate tip, recurved or spreading, elliptic, margins ciliolate but glabrous distally, base narrowly attached, rather thin, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals c. 21 by 5 mm, index c. 4.2, free, upper margin glabrous, lower shortly ciliolate, base rather broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals c. 4 by 2 mm, index c. 2, recurved, distinctly convex distally, elliptic-oblong, acute, margins finely erose-papillose, base broadly attached, thin, surface about glabrous. Lip c. 7.5 by 4 mm, index 1.8-1.9, only slightly recurved, elliptic-obovate, obtuse, margins entire, rather thick, surface glabrous; adaxially somewhat concave, with two short, converging and distally almost meeting ridges near the base with an inconspicuous flat callus in between; abaxially convex. Column c. 1.8 mm long; stigma semi-elliptic, without keels inside, with a low median callus well below its proximal margin; foot widened and with patent, rounded lateral teeth just above the ligament; stelidia c. 1 mm long, narrowly triangular, tip about acute; rostellum protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a distinct crest, surface about glabrous, front margin drawn out into a rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less ovoid, the outer moderately flattened, the inner slightly shorter than the outer, distinctly flattened; no appendages. (After Vermeulen, 2008)
Colours: Sepals yellow, nerves red proximally, petals whitish with a purple mid-nerve, lip reddish purple with a yellow margin, column yellow, suffused with red.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2276M.jpg.