Bulbophyllum pristis J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 399
Type: Gjellerup 1048 (holo BO)
Rhizome creeping. Pseudobulbs 0.7-0.8 cm apart, making an acute angle with the rhizome, ovoid, when dried to the apex contracted, c. 1.5-1.7 cm long; 1-leaved. Leaf petiolate, lanceolate, subacuminate, c. 11-12 by 1.5-1.85 cm; petiole conduplicate-channelled, c. 3.5 cm long; midrib dorsally prominent. Inflorescences many-flowered, long flowering, elongated; peduncle in cross-section elliptic, c. 26 cm long, with c. 4 small, tubular, to the top dilated, acuminate, keeled, to c. 1.1 cm long, soon disintegrating sheaths; rachis thicker than the peduncle, flexuose, to c. 12 by c. 1.1-1.3 cm over the bracts, the internodes on one side hollow, 0.35-0.9 cm long. Floral bracts distichous, patent, clasping the rachis, conduplicate-triangular, acuminate, acute, concave, dorsally keeled, puncticulate, measured over the upper margin 0.8-1.1 cm long. Flowers c. 26, small for the section. Median sepal ovate-lanceolate, gradually long and very acute acuminate, concave, to the top channelled, c. 1.9 by 0.47 cm; nerves 5, dorsally prominent dorsally sparsely minutely puncticulate. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate-lanceolate, gradually long and very acute acuminate, slightly falcate, c. 1.9 by 0.47 cm; apex recurved, channelled-concave; nerves 5 dorsally prominent; midrib keeled. Petals very small, obliquely subquadrangular, unequal sided, without thread 0.15 by 0.18 cm; apex on either side extended in 1-2 triangular, acute, acuminate teeth, between these with a much longer, at the base shortly triangular-dilated, 0.27 cm long thread. Lip mobile, slightly curved, tongue-shaped, in outline lanceolate-triangular, fleshy, 0.975 by slightly over 0.3 cm; base on either side with an auricle-like, erect, obliquely oblong, falcate-incurved, obtuse, entire, outside concave lobule; apex more or less contracted, obtuse; margins except the base comb-like lacerate-serrate; upper side strongly convex, under side narrowly grooved, the groove delimited by sharp keels which are strongly raised at the base and are forked at c. 1/5th above the base; underneath strongly concave, below the middle convex with a longitudinal groove. Column making an obtuse angle with the ovary, broad, dorsally angular-convex, the sides convex, the margins somewhat below the middle obtusely angled and dilated, 0.4 cm long; clinandrium deeply concave semiorbicular, the filament filiform; stelidia very small, bidentate. Anther cucullate, suborbicular, broadly obtuse; base bilobed; connective in front convex-thickened, at the back longitudinally grooved, 0.14 cm wide.; stigma large, deeply concave, quadrangular; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the ovary and a right angle with the column, linear 0.37 cm long, with a longitudinal rib delimited by grooves, the apex about rectangular, incurved and free, truncate, 0.2 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, sparsely finely punctate, 0.65 cm long; including the clavate, in upper part sparsely puncticulate pedicel. 1.1 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Leaves dark green. Peduncle brown-red. Sepals soiled tawny yellow with longitudinal brown-red stipes connected by transversal veins. Column greenish yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte and terrestrial in montane forest; 1900-2250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1472M.jpg.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.