Bulbophyllum foetidum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 748
Type: Schlechter 19371 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BO, L)
Roots mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome 7-10 mm diam., sections between pseudobulbs 8.5-20 cm long, bract fibres persistent, thick. Pseudobulbs distant, ovoid, somewhat flattened, 2.2-4 by 1.2-2.5 cm. Petiole 4-7 cm. Leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 20-50 by 6-16 cm, index (length/width) 2.6-3.3; acute or shortly acuminate. Inflorescence a dense raceme 14-37 cm, 8-20-flowered. Peduncle + erect to patent, 12-30 cm, bracts 4-8, the longest 32-55 mm long. Rachis arching to nodding, 2-7 cm. Floral bracts ovate, 10-30 by 5-14 mm, acuminate. Flowers not resupinate, not fully opening, many simultaneously. Pedicel and ovary 20-40 mm long, basal node on an up to 1 mm long stump, ovary ribs rounded, straight. Median sepal + porrect with a recurved tip, elliptic to (ob-)ovate, 27-42 by 8-9.5 mm, index 2.9-4.7; acute to acuminate, margins entire, base narrowly attached; thick; glabrous. Lateral sepals free, recurved to spreading, oblique, triangular, 28-50 by 10-13 mm, index 2.5-4.2; otherwise as the median sepal. Petals recurved to spreading, elliptic to (ob-)ovate, 22-35 by 4.5-7 mm, index 3.4-5.8; acuminate to caudate (cauda up to 7 mm long), margins entire, base rather broadly attached; rather thin, glabrous. Lip hardly recurved, ovate, 10-16 by 6-10 mm, index 1.4-1.7 (all without artificial spreading); rounded, very thick, surface glabrous to very finely papillose; adaxially barely concave but with a deep median furrow near the base, elsewhere convex but shallowly channelled over most of the length of the lip, surface somewhat rogose towards the tip; abaxially + without a median ridge. Column 7-11 mm long, stigma inside with 3 keels, at its base with a narrow longitudinal ridge, column foot with two inconspicuous rounded wings laterally near the ligament. Stelidia triangular, 2-5.5 mm, acute, erose and often with one larger, antrorse, acute tooth along the upper margin, and with a large, strongly antrorse (so that it runs parallel with the column), upwards curved, ovate, obtuse, glabrous or slightly erose, very thick, abaxially un-crested tooth of 1.4-3.2 by 1.2-1.6 mm (length measured along the front margin of the tooth) along the lower margin, about half-way the column or below. Anther abaxially glabrous, with a small, rounded crest near the tip, front margin slightly drawn out, glabrous. (After Vermeulen, ms.)
Colours: Sepals and petals whitish, yellowish, greenish, pale brownish or purplish brown, with darker brown or purple veins. Lip whitish or yellow, with red or purplish red spots. Flowers fetid.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 450-900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, March, May, July.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-672M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.