Bulbophyllum dischidiifolium J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 8, 1 (1909) 140, pl. 46, fig. 155
Type: Bogor cult. (Exp. Lorentz, Djibdja 85) s.n.
Epiphyte, very small. Pseudobulbs close together, very small, depressed-globose, green, 0.13 cm by 0.3 cm; 1-leaved. Leaf suborbicular, very obtuse, thick fleshy, rigid, 1.4-2.1 by 1.25-1.7 cm; base shortly contracted; upper side convex with a longitudinal groove; below concave. Inflorescences fasciculate. Inflorescence 1-flowered, 0.85 cm long; sheaths membranous. Floral bract broadly ovate, triangular, acute, hood-shaped, membranous, 0.23 cm long. Flowers produced at intervals, [often] not opening, [often] cleistogamous, narrowly ovoid-conical, acute, 0.8 by 0.33 cm. Median sepal oblong-triangular, acute, concave, 0.7 by 0.34 cm; inside longitudinally c. 7-grooved. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate-triangular, acute, concave, 0.75 by 0.28 cm; inside longitudinally 5-grooved, outside longitudinally ribbed. Petals ovate-triangular-lanceolate, acute, concave, 0.68 by 0.25 cm. Lip porrect, irregularly ligulate, above the base dilated, concave, 0.38 by 0.13 cm at the base; below convex, somewhat constricted; apex recurved, obtuse; the middle upper part ciliate; with one longitudinal groove. Column very short, very thick, 0.2 cm wide, the stigma terminal. Anthers 3, cucullate; connective swollen, papillose. Pollinia 2, semiglobose. Ovary very short, thick, obconical, 6-grooved, 0.14 cm long. (After Smith, 1909)
Colours: Leaf opaque, glaucous green, below pale dotted. Inflorescence dark purple. Median sepal purple. Lateral sepals dark purple. Petals in the middle part on the side of the median sepal purple, the rest dark purple. Lip dark purple, underside white. Column whitish; column-foot slightly tinged purple. Ovary dark purple-greenish. Pollinia pale yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte on tall trees in lowland forest; 100-850 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, April, September, October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-520M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.