Bulbophyllum grandifolium

Bulbophyllum grandifolium Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 743

Type: Schlechter 19443 (holo B, lost); para: Schlechter 17455; 19313 (B, lost)

Rhizome 4-8 mm diam., sections between pseudobulbs 8-19 cm long, bract fibres thick, persistent. Pseudobulbs ovoid, 1.5-4.4 by 1-1.8 cm. Petiole 2.8-3.5 cm. Leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 17-24 by 4-6.8 cm, index (length/width) 3.5-4.3; rounded to obtuse. Flowers widely opening. Median sepal about reflexed, obovate to triangular, 21-33 by 8-11.7 mm, index 2.4-3.6; acute to acuminate, base narrowly attached. Lateral sepals free, porrect but converging and (almost) touching towards the tip, ovate to triangular, 22-32 by 8-12 mm, index 2-3, base widely attached; otherwise as the median sepal. Petals spreading to reflexed, elliptic to ovate, 19-31 by 4-8 mm, index 3.1-5.2; acute to acuminate, base narrowly attached. Lip recurved c. half-way, triangular with a drawn-out, narrowly linguiform top part, 8-11 by 5-6.5 mm, index 1.5-1.8 (all without artificial spreading); rounded to subacute, margins with an acute angle above the base when the lip is observed in lateral view; thick; adaxially not or hardly concave and with two rather distinct, proximally diverging, rather thin ridges over most of its length, convex towards the tip; abaxially with a retuse ridge over most of its length, top part c. flat. Column 3-6 mm long, c. straight in profile, stigma without teeth at the base; column foot without ridges. Stelidia porrect, triangular, 0.8-2 mm long, rounded to subacute, lower margin with a deltoid to triangular, obtuse wing c. half-way the column. (After Vermeulen, ms.)

Colours: Sepals and petals greenish yellow to almost white, with red or reddish purple spots, the median sepal and petals sometimes entirely red; the lower margins of the lateral sepals yellowish or greenish, without spots. Lip yellowish green. Flowers sweetly scented.

Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 0-550 m.

Flowering time in the wild: January, February, March, April, May.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-759M.jpg.

Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.

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