Bulbophyllum fruticicola Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 202
Type: Schlechter 14415 (holo B, lost; iso AMES 4x, BO, NSW)
Epiphyte, pendulous, usually unbranched, to 20 cm long. Stem terete, glabrous, flexuose; sheaths tightly clasping the pseudobulbs. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs laxly spaced, minute, to the middle adnate to the stem, cylindrical, terete, glabrous, 0.6 by 0.2 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf obliquely linear-ligulate, subcoriaceous, glabrous, 5-7.5 by 0.5-0.9 cm near the middle. Inflorescednce short, covered with peduncle-scales. Floral bracts ovate, acuminate, less than half as long as the shortly pedicellate ovary. Flowers rather small in the genus. Sepals ovate, acuminate, glabrous, 0.3 cm long. Petals subfalcate, linear-oblong, very obtuse, hardly 0.15 cm long; margins minutely serrulate. Lip somewhat fleshy, lanceolate-tongue-shaped; base on either side with a concave, obtuse, auricle; upper side glabrous; in the middle grooved; underneath semiterete; in apical half densely hispid. Anther subquadrangular-helmet-shaped, in front dilated incisedd. Column short; stelidia subulate, subfalcate-erect, much longer than the anther; column-foot short. Ovary shortly pedicellate, subclavate, glabrous, 0.3-0.4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)
Colours: Flower white spotted purple.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 700-800 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-692M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.