Bulbophyllum toranum J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 137
Type: Gjellerup 797 (holo BO)
Rhizome creeping, 1.2-2.5 mm diam. Roots spreading. Pseudobulbs discoid to ovoid, 1.5-2.2 cm apart, 0.1-0.3 by 0.3-0.35 cm, not laterally flattened. Petiole c. 7 mm. Leaf blade elliptic, 4-7 by 1.8-2.5 cm, index 2-3, tip obtuse. Inflorescence usually single, 12-37 cm, 5-130-flowered. Peduncle 9-14 cm; bracts 5-6, the longest 2.5-3 mm. Rachis erect or arching, often slightly zigzag bent, 2-25 cm, finely verrucose or not. Floral bracts ovate to triangular, 1.5-2.2 mm, tip subacute. Pedicel and ovary 5-7 mm, with the node 1-2.5 mm from the floral bract. Flowers scattered, few many open at the time, moderately opening. Median sepal ovate to elliptic, 3-4.2 by 1.8-2 mm, index 1.6-2.2, tip a straight or incurved, subulate projection 0.3-0.5 mm long, ending in a thickened, approx. papillose knob; margins ciliate; thin; glabrous; abx. with or without an erose median keel. Lateral sepals oblique, 2.5-3.2 by 2-2.1 mm, index 1.2-1.5, tip a distinctly recurved, subulate projection; upper margin erose-papillose, lower ciliate; abx. with an inconspicuous to very distinct median keel; otherwise as the median sepal. Petals ovate to obovate, 1.52.5 by 1.3-1.5 mm, index 1.1-1.6, tip retuse to rounded; margins erose and ciliate; very thin; surface glabrous. Lip 3-lobed, median lobe straight, general outline elliptic, 1.5-2.2 by 0.8-1.2 mm, index 2.2-2.8 (not spread), tip rounded; margins glabrous to papillose; very thick; adx. concave and with 3 parallel, short ridges near the base, which in front end (the median may inconspicuously continue) into a median slit bordered by 2 more ridges which in front converge and in the back protrude as lobes, surface glabrous or papillose towards the margins; abx. without a median ridge, surface glabrous to papillose towards the margins and with two tufts of very distinct, elongate vesicles near the base; basal lobes with the frontal margins converging over the adaxial surface of the lip; falcate, triangular, tip acute; margins erose-papillose; thin; surface approx. glabrous. Column from ovary to the tip of the stelidia 0.8-1.2 mm; stigma protruding at its base, elliptic; column-foot with a distinct, obtuse to approx. acute central tooth close to the attachment of the lip. Stelidia rather inconspicuous, triangular, 0.2-0.3 mm; tip approx. obtuse; with a distinct, forwards projecting, triangular, approx. obtuse tooth along the lower margin. Anther abx. with a ridge towards its base; front margin not protruding. (After Vermeulen, 1993)
Colours: Sepals and petals greenish or white, suffused with purple; tips of sepals almost black. Lip purple at the base, green or yellow at the tip.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 75-1000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1850M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.