Bulbophyllum latibrachiatum J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 19 (1908) 7
Type: Versteeg 1261 (holo BO; iso L)
Rhizome creeping, short, covered with large, membranous sheaths. Pseudobulbs when dried oblong-ovoid, somewhat laterally compressed, 1.4-3.2 by 1 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, lanceolate, acute, acuminate, 12-15 by 2-3 cm; base narrowed into a petiole; midrib grooved above, prominent and obtuse below; margin recurved. Inflorescences 1-flowered, fasciculate from the nodes of the rhizome, very short; peduncle 0.6 cm long, entirely covered by clasping, large, tubular, obtuse, long subulate-mucronate sheaths. Flower fleshy, 1.8 cm wide. Median sepal oblong or lanceolate, shortly sharply acuminate or acute, 1.5-2.2 by 0.5-0.6 cm. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong or lanceolate, shortly sharply acuminate or apiculate, 1.6-2.1 by 0.63 cm. Petals obliquely ovate, 0.7-0.83 by 0.3-0.33 cm, acuminate, acute, minutely finely ciliate, 1-nerved, outside obtusely keeled. Lip very small, fleshy, thick tongue-shaped, from above oblong, laterally compressed, obtuse, 0.37 by 0.16-0.2 cm; with two small, obtuse, backwards-pointing lobes; above convex, with a longitudinal groove almost up to the apex, papillose, along the margin very sparsely pilose; below with a thick obtuse swelling. Column rather slender, in total 0.35-0.4 cm long; stelidia long, porrect, at the base half-twisted, linear, obtuse, 0.2 cm long; clinandrium above convex; stigma longitudinal, broadly elliptic; column-foot forming an obtuse, almost straight angle with the ovary, its base below the stigma callus-like swollen, with an incurved, somewhat dilated, truncate, free apex, 0.2 cm long. Anther broadly subcordate, shortly conical-apiculate. Pollinia 4, laterally compressed, inner ones smaller. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.4-0.65 cm long; pedicel 0.5-0.6 cm long. Capsule when dry oblong, in section winged-triangular, 1.8 cm long; wings narrow, undulate. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Leaf shining pale green. Sepals yellow, inside with 7-9 reddish stripes. Petals transparent, with 3 dark purple stripes; margin with dark purple spots. Lip white, dark purple-marbled. Column whitish tinged red; stelidia pale green; column-foot in front reddish.; stigma with a red margin. Ovary green, pedicel pale green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in on trees in Metroxylon swamps.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-957M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.