Bulbophyllum trigonidioides

Bulbophyllum trigonidioides J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 59, pl. 12, fig. 38

Type: Docters van Leeuwen 9552 (holo BO, spirit material); 9040 (para BO, L)

Rhizome creeping. Roots thin. Pseudobulbs 0.4-0.9 cm apart, making an acute angle with the rhizome, obliquely ovoid, when dried quadrangular, 0.3-0.6 cm long; 1-leaved, initially enclosed by tubular sheaths. Leaf obovate to oblong-obovate, c. 2.77.5 by 1.3-2.85 cm; base cuneate-narrowed and conduplicate; margins revolute; midrib above grooved, below prominent; apex frequently somewhat contracted, obtuse or broadly obtuse, sometimes minutely apiculate. Inflorescences 1-flowered; peduncle terete, part present in sample 0.55 cm long. Floral bract obliquely funnel-shaped, triangular-acuminate, acute, keeled, 0.37 cm long. Flower c. 2.1 by 0.85 cm. Median sepal erect, concave, ovate, 7-nerved, fleshy, in total c. 1.4 by slightly more than 0.6 cm; apex recurved, abruptly extended in a filiform, channelled, 0.55 cm long tail. Lateral sepals shortly adnate to the base of the median sepal, 7-nerved, fleshy, in total c. 1.45 by 0.5 cm; above the base deflexed, convex; upper margin near the base concealing the margins of the dorsal sepal; obliquely ovate-triangular, abruptly contracted in a filiform-subulate, channelled, 0.6 cm long tail. Petals very small, porrect, vertical, 1-nerved, in total 0.25 cm long; basal part inversely semiorbicular-reniform, 0.1 by 0.16 cm, its base rounded, with very short, obtuse, tooth-like lobules; top margin with 3 filiform, 0.16 cm long appendages between lobules. Lip elastically attached to the apex of the column-foot, fleshy, ovate with a short claw, in total 0.45 cm long; blade 0.3 by 0.24 cm; ligament attached below at 2/5 from the base; base with 2 conspicuous, reversed, vertical, rounded, at the back inside convex-fleshy-swollen auricles with slightly incurved outer margins, claw with the margins erct, deeply concave in between, with two small, short, narrow ridges with a furrow in between; blade porrect, ovate, obtuse; convex; entirely villose; underneath convex with a small longitudinal channel. Column short, thick, slightly recurved, in total 0.28 cm long; clinandrium hollow; stelidia porrect, broad, retuse, the upper lobule elongated, very long, subulate-filiform, porrect, rather falcate, longer than the anther, the front lobule triangular, obtuse; stigma small, longitudinal, quadrangular, with truncate, transverse rostellum. Anther cucullate, 0.13 by 0.08 cm wide; base suborbicular, at the back bilobulate, extended in a large, quadrangular, rounded, convex appendage; connective convex-thickened; column-foot thick, making an acute angle with the ovary, when not flattened 0.3 cm long, the lower part adnate to the lateral sepals, below the stigma thickly convex-gibbose 0.13 cm long, the front part rounded-rectangular, incurved, free, porrect, straight, at the top extended in a slender, as wide, 0.2 cm long ligament. Ovary obconical, 6-grooved, 0.3 cm long; pedicel terete, c. 1 cm long, 0.32 cm above the base articulate. (After Smith, 1935)

Colours: Leaf below sometimes violet. Flower orange with red or red-brown markings.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 60 m.

Flowering time in the wild: May, July.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1885M.jpg.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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