Bulbophyllum gracillimum (Rolfe) Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1907) 412
Basionym: Cirrhopetalum gracillimum
Epiphyte, slender. Rhizome rooting. Roots filiform, glabrous. Pseudobulbs 1-2 cm apart, ovoid, 4-angular, 0.7-1.3 by 0.4-0.9 cm below the middle; 1-leaved. Leaf erect, elliptic or elliptic-ligulate, obtuse, 4-7 by 1.4-2.3 cm near the middle; base weakly narrowed into a petiole. Inflorescence 10-20-flowered, umbelliform, very slender, with a few small peduncle-scales, to 35 cm long. Flowers patent. Sepals broadly elliptic, strongly acuminate. Median sepal drawn out into a bristle-hair, 0.6 cm long, margins long-ciliate. Lateral sepals oblique, glabrous, at first with connate outer margins which soon become free, c. 3 cm long. Petals lanceolate, falcate, aristate-strongly acuminate, 0.5 cm long; margins long-ciliate. Lip fleshy, curved, ovate tongue-shaped, obtuse, 0.2 cm long; upper side sparsely transverse-rugulose; underneath pitted; in front somewhat narrowed. Column short; stelidia tooth-like, short; column-foot incurved. Anther oblongoid-cucullate, glabrous. Pedicel and ovary slender, glabrous, 0.6 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1913)
Colours: Flower reddish. Median sepal darker so. Lip whitish.
Habitat: Epiphyte in forest; 10-550 m.
Flowering time in the wild: February, April.
Distribution: Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea, Bangka, Mentawai Islands, Blitung), Thailand, Southeast Asia, Solomon Is., New Caledonia, Fiji.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-754M.jpg.