Bulbophyllum pyroglossum

Bulbophyllum pyroglossum Schuit. & de Vogel, J. Orchideenfreund 12 (2005) 264, fig., pls.

Type: Leiden cult. (leg. National Capital Bot. Garden WKH 1737) 20031787, fron Papua New Guinea, Southern Highlands Prov., Libano River

Rhizome very short, branching; roots wiry, branching, 0.5-0.8 mm in diameter. Pseudobulbs closely spaced, conical-ovoid, 1.6-2.5 by 0.6-1 cm, with c. 8 longitudinal grooves, 1-leaved. Leaf petiolate; petiole channelled, c. 4-9 mm long; blade narrowly elliptic, 5.5-10 by 1.5-2.3 cm, thinly coriaceous, apex acute. Inflorescences arising from the base of the pseudobulb, often fascicled, erect, 1-flowered. Peduncle very thin, 3.3-4.5 cm long, glabrous, consisting of two internodes, the basal internode 0.8-1 cm long, peduncular scale tubular, strongly oblique, 5 mm long, at the very base of the peduncle with two smaller tubular scales. Floral bract tubular, strongly oblique, 5 mm long, apex acuminate. Pedicel 3.5-4 mm long, ovary terete, very slender, weakly 6-ribbed, almost straight to curved, c. 2.4 cm long, glabrous. Flowers lasting a few days, closed at night; the sepals patent in the morning, reflexed in the afternoon, closing in the evening. Median sepal linear-lanceolate, 1.2 by 0.3 cm, only slightly narrowed to the base, apex acute, 3-veined, outside slightly keeled along the mid-vein, more or less concave inside. Lateral sepals free, obliquely narrowly lanceolate, 1.2 by 0.33 cm, only slightly narrowed to the base, apex acute, 4-veined, outside with slightly swollen mid-vein, concave inside in apical half. Petals obliquely broadly ovate, subfalcate, glabrous, 1.7 by 1 mm, abruptly narrowed at the base, apex obtuse, more or less convex inside, margins in apical half recurved. Lip clawed, mobile, attached to the column-foot by a 1.2 mm long, broadly strap-shaped ligament; claw almost quadrangular, 1.3 by 1.2 mm, glabrous, with erect, hemi-elliptic, lobe-like margins, inside with two low, finely warty ribs separated by a groove; blade narrowly lanceolate, cucullate, strongly convex above, 7.2 by 2.3 mm, 7-veined, margins inflexed, apex obtuse, throughout the upper side of the blade with many c. 1.8 mm long, subulate, irregularly curved to somewhat flexuose hairs arranged in 7 parallel rows, the 5 inner rows roughly coinciding with the 5 median veins, the two outer rows not so, in addition with similar marginal hairs; base of blade finely warty, otherwise smooth, texture of the blade somewhat soft-spongy, more sponge-like thickened in basal third and there on underside with an irregular bullate surface structure. Column 2 mm long, dorsally almost straight in lateral view, strongly swollen at the base, with a short but distinct, very thick, 0.6 mm long column-foot; apical column-wings each with two short acute teeth and one longer and narrower tooth, the wings 0.8 mm wide; stigma in lateral view with protruding lower margin, in frontal view narrowly elliptic. Anther helmet-shaped, 0.5 mm long, very slightly papillose. Pollinia 4 in two pairs, obliquely oblong in lateral view, 0.4 mm long, laterally flattened, those of a pair unequal. (After Schuiteman & de Vogel, 2005)

Colours: Pseudobulbs light green tinged purple. Leaves green. Peduncle light green tinged purple. Pedicel pale yellowish green; ovary green. Sepals dull light orange-brown, at the apex lighter so. Petals light yellowish orange; apical half with an orange-brown stripe. Lip bright orange, the margins of the claw brownish orange. Column and anther cream coloured; anther with a brown spot.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland rainforest; 250 m.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2224M.jpg.

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