Bulbophyllum falcibracteum

Bulbophyllum falcibracteum Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 58 (1923) 133

Type: Ledermann 8435; 9277 a (syn B, lost)

Epiphyte, to 40 cm long. Rhizome flexuose, slender. Pseudobulbs rather laxly spaced, cylindrical, to the apex gradually slightly attenuate, 2-3 cm by 0.3 cm below the middle; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, ligulate, acute, 12-18 by 1-1.9 cm at about the middle; base narrowed in a distinct petiole. Inflorescences ultimately densely many-flowered slender, rigid, almost two times as long as the leaf, erect, with a few small peduncle-scales, to 40 cm long; rachis gradually developed. Floral bracts two-edged, ovate-falcate, shortly acuminate, somewhat shorter than the pedicellate ovary, 0.8 cm long. Flowers glabrous. Sepals lanceolate, strongly acuminate, c. 1.1 cm long. Lateral sepals at the base along the front margin widened, forming a short, very obtuse, 0.4 cm long mentum with the column-foot. Petals much smaller than the sepals, obliquely elliptic, aristate-cuspidate, 0.2 cm long; near the apex on either side extended in a triangular tooth. Lip in outline narrowly lanceolate, strongly acuminate, 0.13 by 0.3 cm in the middle; base on either side with a falcate-semi-elliptic, obtuse lobule; towards the top slightly constricted and with 2 crenulate, in the middle decurrent keels; in front with coarsely crenate-dentate margins. Column medium size, with dilated apex, near the anther on either side apiculate, 0.5 cm long; column-foot ascending, short. Ovary pedicellate, slender, to 1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1923)

Colours: Flower sulphur yellow. Lip dark brown.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 850-1050 m.

Flowering time in the wild: August, October.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-620M.jpg.

Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.

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