Bulbophyllum triclavigerum J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12 (1913) 402
Type: Gjellerup 1238
Rhizome elongated, pendulous, angular-ribbed; entirely covered with tubular, prominently veined, soon disintegrating sheaths. Roots partly appressed to the rhizome. Pseudobulbs c. 1.5-2.2 cm apart, spirally arranged, appressed to the rhizome, obliquely oblong-cylindrical, soon with many small longitudinal ribs, 0.75-1.25 by 0.4-0.54 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf ovate, thick fleshy, rigid, c. 1.7-2.75 by 1.2-1.55 cm; base rounded, shortly and abruptly narrowly conduplicate-contracted, above convex with a thin longitudinal groove; apex pointed, rectangularly subobtuse; underneath flat. Inflorescences 1-flowered, from the nodes of the rhizome; peduncle very short, 0.3 cm long, with a few large, tubular, thinly membranous sheaths. Floral bract much longer than the ovary, tubular, obtuse, 0.3 cm long; apex concave. Flower very small, somewhat open, 0.63 cm long; the sepals parallel. Median sepal 0.68 by slightly over 0.2 cm at the base; basal half subtriangular, concave, thin, long linear-oblong-contracted, obtuse, dorsally convex; to the top fleshy-thickened and inside channelled; nerves 3, near the apex merging. Lateral sepals forming a short, obtuse-angled mentum, 0.67 by 0.24 cm at the base; basal 1/4th obliquely triangular, concave; top part contracted linear-lanceolate, obtuse, fleshy-thickened, subterete, channelled, 0.37 cm long; nerves 3, near the apex merging. Petals very small, parallel, appressed to the column, 5-angular, subobtuse or subacute, 1-nerved, 0.15 by 0.1 cm. Lip mobile, strongly curved, oblong, channelled, 3-nerved, inside 3-ribbed, when flattened 0.24 by 0.1 cm; in basal part the sides erect; margins recurved; 1/3 upper part strongly undulate; apex recurved, obtuse; underneath papillose, keels all vanishing to the base, laterally in the middle papillose, above vanishing, median to the apex extended. Column 0.17 cm long; clinandrium deeply concave, filament triangular-apiculate; stelidia much longer than the anther, subulate, falcate, upper margin at the base with a tooth; stigma inversely triangular; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the ovary, incurved, its apex somewhat dilated, with 2 separate divergent, angled, obtuse teeth, 0.13 cm long. Anther high cucullate, orbicular; apex extended in a quadrangular, obtuse appendage; connective ribbed-thickened. Pollinia laterally compressed, triangular, outside convex. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.16 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Leaves and flower brown-red.
Habitat: Epiphyte in montane forest; 1900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1876M.jpg.
Cultivation: Cool growing epiphyte.