Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 400
Type: Schlechter 19354 (holo B, lost; iso L, S)
Rhizome very short or somewhat elongated. Pseudobulbs clustered, 2-7-leaved, large, to 8 by 6 cm, covered by sheaths. Leaves narrowly petiolate; blade elliptic, 100 by 12 cm, apex acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, erect, 100 cm long, glabrous; peduncle-scales few, short, obtuse, clasping the stem; rachis short, densely many-flowered. Floral bracts deflexed, elliptic, 2.9-3.5 by 1.3-1.5 cm, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers c. 5 cm diam., erect to erect-patent. Median sepal elliptic, 2.8-3.3 by 1.5-1.7 cm, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, 2.8-3.3 cm long. Petals obliquely suborbicular-ovate, 2.8-3.3 by 2-2.5 cm, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed, 1.5 cm long, 1.7 cm wide between tips of lateral lobes when flattened; callus obcordate-obovate, sloping backwards, with a shallow median groove, 0.38-0.53 cm tall, 0.42-0.57 cm wide, with short hairs at apex and base; lateral lobes turned backwards, making a 108 to 190 degrees angle with the mid-lobe, obliquely ligulate, 0.85-1.16 cm long, at base 0.61-0.85 cm wide, at apex 0.35-0.51 cm wide; mid-lobe 1.3-1.53 cm long; claw 0.55-0.73 cm long, 0.11-0.21 cm wide, dilated towards the apex, with indistinct lobules on either side of the callus; terminal blade 0.7-0.88 cm wide, obovate-obcordate to obtusely apiculate. Column slender, curved, dilated at apex, 1.7 cm long. Anther subcordate-ovate, obtusely apiculate, glabrous. Ovary 4 cm long, glabrous. Fruit cylindrical, glabrous, 7 by 1.2 cm. (After Howcroft, 1992)
Colours: Flower violet-pink, callus of lip yellow, lateral lobes of lip brownish red, apex of mid-lobe darker violet-pink.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 15 to 450 m.
Flowering time in the wild: May, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 652-9M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.