Bulbophyllum conchophyllum J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 133
Type: Gjellerup 594
Rhizome elongated, entirely covered with large overlapping sheaths. Pseudobulbs very small, appressed to the rhizome, quadrangular, rugose, 0.7 by 0.55 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf ovate-oblong, obtuse, above strongly convex with a longitudinal groove, underneath concave, rugulose, minutely papillose-finely warty, thickly and stiff fleshy, brittle, 5.5-8.5 by 2.2 cm wide. Inflorescences 1-flowered, flowering in succession, many together, fascicled, very short, inconspicuous by the basal part of the leaf; peduncles covered with scales, 0.9 cm long. Floral bract tubular, above slightly funnel-shaped-widened, oblique, apiculate, puncticulate, 0.4 cm long. Flowers widely opening, fleshy, 1.25 cm diam., sepals dorsally sparsely minutely furfuraceous-puncticulate. Median sepal ovate, acutely acuminate, slightly convex in the middle, 7-nerved, 0.83 by slightly over 0.5 cm; basal and apical margins narrowly incurved. Lateral sepals inserted on the column-foot, obliquely ovate, acutely acuminate, in the middle slightly convex, 7-nerved, 0.9 by 0.5 cm; basal and apical margin narrowly incurved. Petals short, sessile, bifid, 0.4 cm wide, the arms divergent, linear, strongly falcate-recurved, acute, separated by a wide rounded sinus, both laciniae on the front side with 5-6 elongated appendages; basal part of the appendages very finely filiform, densely puberulous, to the apex somewhat dilated and glabrous, to 0.33 cm long; upper part of the appendages at the base dilated, somewhat fleshy, above the base slightly recurved, linear, obtuse, on the upper side near the base strongly rounded-convex-thickened, glabrous, to 0.53 cm long; appendage on the tip of the upper arm with a short filiform, basal part and with the upper part not thickened at the base. Lip mobile, attached with a short, strongly curved, membranous claw, wavy, narrow, broadly obtuse, glabrous, in total 0.48 cm long; underneath along the whole length grooved; above the base thickened, laterally compressed, convex, with two backwards-pointing, vertical, obtuse, fleshy lobules, on upper side channelled to near the middle, on either side of the channel with slightly recurved margins, in the basal part patent-puberulous; middle part strongly constricted; apical part irregularly clavate-thickened. Column obliquely conical, densely puberulous, 0.27 cm long (without anther); clinandrium concave, with irregular margin; stelidia porrect, parallel, narrowly triangular, straight, acute, on the lower margin base with a downward-pointing awl; column-foot making a right angle with the column, short, 0.18 cm long, in upper half abruptly almost rectangularly incurved, 2-lobed and free. Anther cucullate, 0.14 cm long; apex with a large, obtusely angled, recurved, dilated, apically truncate and denticulate, concave appendage; connective strongly conical-thickened. Ovary at the apex strongly incurved, 6-grooved, with the pedicel 1 cm long, sparsely furfuraceous-finely punctate. Fruit not seen. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Leaves dull bluish dark green with blue-green and violet metallic shine, below deep violet-red, also with metallic shine. Sepals brown-red with brownish violet dots. Petals with white base and violet appendages. Lip at the base yellow, the upper half and the median crest deep red-brown. Column at the top spotted light violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 150 m.
Flowering time in the wild: August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-386M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.