Epiblastus pullei J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 13 (1914) 57
Type: Pulle 571 (holo BO)
Rhizome very short, roots thin, villose. Pseudobulbs closely spaced, linear-oblongoid, distinctly laterally compressed, obtuse, to 4.5 cm long, 1.1 cm wide, 1-leaved, initially with several sheaths, the sheaths distichous, overlapping, becoming larger upwards, conduplicate, subacute, keeled, to 7 cm long. Leaf strap-shaped, the apical part not seen [cut off by the collector], at the base conduplicate, the margins slightly recurved, the mid-rib grooved above, keeled below, coriaceous, part seen 16-21 by 2.3-2.5 cm. Inflorescences c. 6 fascicled, arising in immature shoots, peduncles thin, laterally compressed, slightly over 6 cm long, 1-flowered. Floral bract very small, appressed, triangular, acute, concave, 0.23 cm long. Flower not opening much, carnose, 1 cm long, 0.65 cm wide. Sepals and petals parallel. Median sepal oblong-ovate, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, strongly concave, 3-nerved, 0.9 by 0.48 cm. Lateral sepals decurrent on the column-foot, obliquely ovate-triangular, narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, strongly concave, with the lower margin in the basal part strongly incurved, at the base saccate, 3-nerved, on either side with a small additional nerve, 1 cm long, when almost flattened 0.53 cm wide; mentum short, very broad, making an acute angle with the ovary, dorsally compressed, more or less retuse, 0.27 cm long, almost 0.6 cm wide. Petals narrowly oblong, somewhat narrowed towards the apex, obtuse, concave, dorsally longitudinally grooved, 3-nerved, 0.8 cm long, almost 0.3 cm wide. Lip at the base parallel with the column-foot, erect, at c. 1/4 above the base almost rectangularly recurved, frontal part porrect, lip much surpassing the column, almost 3-lobed, strongly concave, inside in the basal part in the middle with a transverse 4-lobulate thickening, underneath longitudinally grooved, when not flattened 0.8 cm long; claw short, broad, with a short, longitudinal, triangular thickening adnate to the column-foot, 3-nerved, deeply 2-auriculate, 0.17 cm long, almost 0.3 cm wide, auricles almost rounded, concave; blade ovate, acute, 0.63 by 0.48 cm. Column oblong, at the apex strongly dilated, dorsally convex, underneath below the stigma longitudinally ribbed, 0.33 cm long, the apical part rather large, triangular, obtuse, concave, dorsally convex; auricles incurved, much shorter than the apex. Anther cucullate, reniform, 0.16 cm wide, at the base deeply bilobed, connective at the apex conical apiculate. Pollinia 8, compressed, obovate. Stigma transversely elliptic. Column-foot making an acute angle with the ovary and an obtuse angle with the column, straight, largely adnate to the claw of the lip, almost 0.2 cm long. Ovary 6-grooved, 2.35 cm long. (After Smith, 1915).
Colours: Flower red.
Habitat: Probably epiphyte in upper montane forest. Altitude 2500 m.
Flowering time in the wild: December.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea, endemic).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 272-20M.JPG
Cultivation: Probably cool growing epiphyte.