Bulbophyllum speciosum Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 712
Type: Schlechter 17259 (holo B, lost); para: 18122 (B, lost; AMES, BO, K)
Epiphyte, 15-20 cm high. Rhizome creeping, short. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs conical-cylindrical, 2-3 cm by 0.4-0.6 cm; 1-leaved. Leaves erect, elliptic-ligulate, subobtuse or subacute, glabrous, chartaceous, 11-16 by 1.5-1.8 cm near the middle; base slightly narrowed into a petiole. Inflorescences 1-flowered, basal, erect, slender, filiform, 8-10 cm high, with few, distant, very small peduncle-scales. Floral bracts elliptic-cucullate, shortly acuminate, much shorter than the slender pedicellate ovary. Flower erect or suberect, showy. Sepals lanceolate, elongate-acuminate, glabrous, c. 4.4 cm long. Median sepal somewhat broader than the lateral sepals. Lateral sepals oblique. Petals minute, broadly falcate-rhombic, cuspidate-apiculate, glabrous, 0.2 cm long; margin in apical half subcrenulate. Lip lanceolate-dilated, elongate-strongly acuminate, convex, glabrous, 3-8 by 0.6 cm below the middle; base obtuse and minutely concave-auriculate; underneath at the base 2-keeled; to the apex slightly flexuose. Column slightly incurved, relatively thick compared to related species; stelidia porrect, subquadrangular, short, with serrulate margins, the lower margin with a linear, porrect tooth; clinandrium serrulate-dentate, truncate; column-foot almost absent. Anther rhomboid-oblong, cucullate, with a large oblong umbo. Pedicel and ovary very slender, glabrous, c. 3.5 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals white, to the base densely striped red. Lip golden yellow, with snow-white apex.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 600-2900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1731M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.