Bulbophyllum nitidum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 711
Type: Schlechter 19729 (holo B, lost)
Epiphyte, small, 10-13 cm high. Rhizome creeping, short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs conical-cylindrical, c. 2 by 0.5 cm below the middle; 1-leaved. Leaves erect, narrowly ligulate, obtuse, glabrous, coriaceous, 6-11 cm by 0.8-1.3 cm near the middle; base subpetiolate-narrowed. Inflorescences 1-flowered, basal, erect, very slender, filiform, with a few very small distant peduncle-scales, glabrous, 5-9 cm long. Floral bracts elliptic, clasping, apiculate, much shorter than the slender pedicellate ovary. Flower showy, erect or suberect. Sepals reflexed, lanceolate, elongate-strongly acuminate, glabrous, 4-4.5 cm long. Lateral sepals somewhat wider than the median one. Petals minute, falcate-apiculate, hardly 0.2 cm high; base transversely oblong. Lip somewhat shorter than the sepals, lanceolate-dilated, convex, elongate-acuminate, below the middle 0.8 cm wide; base minutely and obtusely auriculate, somewhat concave; below the base with two keels; underneath finely pilose. Column slightly incurved; stelidia short, decurved, with few teeth, the lowest tooth more than two times as long as the others; clinandrium dorsally bidentate; column-foot absent. Anther oblong-quadrangular, cucullate, umbonate, glabrous. Pedicel and ovary slender, c. 3 cm long, glabrous. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals white striped red. Petals white with 2 red spots. Lip white, spotted red, with snow-white apex.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 450-2400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, May, June, July, August, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1249M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.