Bulbophyllum fritillariiflorum J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 3 (1912) 76
Type: Bogor cult. (Lorentz Exp., Rachmat 462) s.n. (holo BO, n.v.; ?iso L, unnumbered)
Rhizome creeping, branched, terete, to 0.37 cm diam. Pseudobulbs c. 1.4-2 cm distant, oblong-subovoid, 4-5-angular, c. 2.4-3.7 by 1-1.6 c; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, oblong, or subelliptic, obtuse, retuse, in total c. 9-10 by 3.1-4.2 cm; base narrowed in the acuminate petiole; margins acute; midrib above grooved, underneath not prominent, thick, fleshy, rigid; petiole conduplicate-channelled c. 1-1.9 cm long. Inflorescences ascending, 1-flowered; peduncle c. 11 cm long, with few small, enlarging, funnel-shaped, laterally compressed, acuminate, keeled, sheaths to c. 2 cm long with. Floral bract similar to the small sheaths, c. 2.5 cm long. Flower large, hardly opening, c. 6.5 cm long. Median sepal broadly ovate, gradually narrowed, subobtuse, apiculate; base reversed, strongly cucullate-concave, curved-incurved; apex appressed to the lateral sepals. Lateral sepals decurrent on the column-foot, porrect, vertical, obliquely narrowly oblong-ovate, subfalcate, subacuminate, obtuse, apiculate, concave, ext convex, without keels, when flattened c. 6 by 2 cm; margin to the top connate to a degree, the posterior margins connate except at the base. Petals very small, widely patent, falcate, lanceolate, long acuminate, filifera, convex, margins papillose, fleshy, in total c. 1 by 0.23 cm; appendage filiform, 0.3 cm long. Lip very small, strongly mobile, tongue-shaped, curved, laterally compressed, in lateral view semiovate, subobtuse, obtusely angled, keeled, fleshy; filament erect, rather large, cuneate, in the basal part attached to apex of the column-foot; dorsally strongly convex, with an obtuse keel; sides concave, papillose; base somewhat dilated, truncate; margins long and finely ciliate, 0.55 by 0.35 cm at the base(not including the hairs). Column leaning backwards, short, laterally compressed, 0.45 cm long, the apex elongated, slightly incurved, oblong, truncate; clinandrium deeply concave; stelidia truncate, triangular; stelidia parallel, short, broadly triangular, obtuse; stigma small, longitudinal, obovate-oblong, deeply concave; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the ovary, ascending, linear-oblong, with incurved, dilated, truncate, carnose apex, when not flattened 0.75 cm long, with free, 0.3 c long apex. Anther incumbens, cucullate, laterally compressed; connective carinate-swollen; beak short, bidentate. Pollinia 4, laterally compressed, nearly semiorbicular, outside convex, 0.14 cm long; the 2 inner ones very small and thin. Ovary pedicellate, deeply 6-grooved, c. 3.2 cm long; above the base articulate; apex recurved. (After Smith, 1913)
Colours: Pseudobulbs shining green. Leaf green, underneath opaque. Peduncle pale dirty green, densely dirty purple-striate; sheaths pale greenish, dirty purple-punctate. Floral bracts with broad, longitudinal, dirty purple stripes. Sepals whitish tinged pale green, densely purple reticulate-punctate. Petals white, purple punctuate; appendage dark purple. Lip white tinged green; above dark purple punctuate; sides dark purple spotted; margins purple-ciliate. Column, shiny, white, apex and margins pale green, purple-punctate; stelidia dark purple-punctate; column-foot dark purple-maculate; apex pale green. Anther yellowish; connective pale green. Pollinia shiny, yellow. Ovarty and pedicel spotted very dark dirty purple, below the articulation green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 450 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-689M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.