Bulbophyllum pisibulbum J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 13 (1914) 68
Type: Pulle 1094 (not BO)
Epiphyte, very small, tufted. Rhizome short, branched. Pseudobulbs close together, making an acute angle with the rhizome, obliquely elliptic or more or less ovoid, 0.5 by 0.2-0.37 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, lanceolate, obtuse, convex, rigidly fleshy, c. 1.4-2 by 0.37-0.5 cm; base contracted in a conduplicate, 0.16-0.26 cm long petiole; apex obtusely angled, especially here cellular-crenulate; upper side obtusely angled, concave; underneath convex. Inflorescences 1-flowered from the base of the pseudobulbs, solitary; peduncle filiform, c. 2.5-2.7 cm long, at the base with a few small, tubular peduncle-scales. Floral bracts tubular-funnel-shaped, apex obliquely apiculate, keeled, 0.26-0.28 cm long. Flower c. 1.4 cm wide. Median sepal narrowly lanceolate, gradually narrowed to the apex, acute, conical-apiculate, concave, 3-nerved; nerves lateral above the base forked, all dorsally prominent, slightly over 1 by 0.27 cm. Lateral sepals divergent, obliquely lanceolate, slightly falcate, narrowed to the apex, acute conical-apiculate, 3-nerved; apex recurved; outer nerves above the base forked, all dorsally prominent, c. 1 by 0.27 cm. Petals very small, parallel, appressed to the column, obliquely ovate, acute, finely ciliate; nerve 1, dorsally prominent, 0.28 by 0.16 cm. Lip mobile, curved, from above oblong-triangular, obtuse, glabrous, fleshy, 0.24 cm long; basal part concave; upper side convex; underneath thickly keeled, in the basal part with a longitudinal groove. Column medium size, straight, 0.2 cm long; stelidia parallel, somewhat longer than the anther, subulate, in the basal part, the lower margins of the clinandrium with fine denticulate wings; stigma inversely semi-elliptic; column-foot making an almost right angle with the ovary, in the middle rectangularly incurved, the apex slightly incurved, linear, in the basal half with the lateral sepals connate, inside longitudinally grooved, upper half free, when not flattened 0.2 cm long. Anther cucullate, in outline ovate, transversely elliptic-orbicular, extended in a triangular obtuse convex papillose appendix, 0.07 cm wide; connective convex-thickened. Pollinia obliquely semiorbicular, outside convex, inside flat. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.23 cm long; pedicel 1 cm long, 0.13-0.17 cm above the base articulate. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Sepals yellowish brown with close-set violet stripes.
Habitat: Terrestrial on shale; 2400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1436M.jpg.
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial, requires light position.