Bulbophyllum fallacinum

Bulbophyllum fallacinum J.J.Verm., Nordic J. Bot. 26 (2008) 193, fig. 36

Type: Jongejan cult. 966 (holo L), from PNG

Rhizome 4.5-8 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 5.5-9 cm long, creeping, bract fibres rather thin, persistent. Pseudobulbs 2-5 by 0.8-1.2 cm ovoid. Leaves: petiole 1.5-2.5 cm long; blade 8-20 by 3.5-6 cm, index (length/width) 2.3-4.7, elliptic to obovate, rounded. Inflorescence c. 10 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle c. 0.8 cm long, patent; non-floriferous bracts c. 4, the longest c. 8 mm long; floral bract c. 9 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening. Pedicel-with-ovary c. 80 mm long, basal node on a c. 11 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal 24-30 by 6-11 mm, index 2.3-5, spreading with incurved top part, ovate to ovate-triangular, acute, margins entire, base rather narrowly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals 25-28 by 9-14 mm, index 1.9-2.8, free, with downwards (c. in the direction of the tip of the petals) curved top part, triangular, base widely attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals 19-23 by 5-7 mm, index 2.9-3.8, spreading with incurved top part, ovate, (sub)acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lip 13-15 by 4.5-7 mm, index 1.9-3.3, top part (?2-) 2.3-2.8 mm wide (all not flattened), recurved in the proximal half, triangular with a drawn-out ovate top part that is not constricted at its base, rounded to obtuse, margins regularly rounded above the base when observed in side view, entire, thick, surface glabrous; adaxially concave near the base, convex towards the tip; abaxially with a retuse ridge up to about half of the length of the lip, top part slightly concave. Column 5-7 mm long, more or less straight in profile; stigma without teeth at the base; foot without ridges; stelidia 1-1.5 mm long, porrect, triangular, rounded to subacute, above half-way the length of the column with an antrorse, ovate to triangular, rounded to subacute tooth along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a conical crest, surface more or less glabrous, front margin drawn out into a broadly rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less drop-shaped, all moderately flattened, the inner about as long as the outer; no appendages. (After Vermeulen, 2008)

Colours: Sepals and petals pinkish, heavily spotted with red, lip suffused with red.

Flowering time in the wild: June, July, August.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2278M.jpg.

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