Bulbophyllum hymenobracteum Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 204
Type: Schlechter 14584 (holo B, lost; iso BR, K, P)
Rhizome short, creeping, 1-4 mm diam., sections between pseudobulbs 2-8 mm long. Pseudobulbs close together, ovoid to conical, sometimes globose, 2-8.5 by 2-5 mm. Petiole 10-76 mm long. Leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 30-130 by 5-25 mm, index 3-11, tip obtuse to acute, leaf surface adaxially rugulose. Racemes more or less erect, 1-10 flowered. Peduncle 50-180 mm long, bracts 2-8, the longest 2-9 mm long. Rachis patent to erect, sometimes slightly thickened, more or less flexuose, 5-60 mm long, internode between the lowermost flowers 6.2-20 mm long, 1.5-6 times as long as the tubular part of the first floral bract. Floral bracts funnel-shaped, more or less oblique, 4-10 mm long, tip obtuse to acute to acuminate, abaxial keel more or less distinct. Pedicel and ovary 4-19 mm long, articulation 0.1-2 mm distant from the floral bract. Flowers 1 to 3 open at the time, widely opening. Median sepal recurved, ovate, 5-12.5 by 4-6.8 mm, index 1.5-2.1, tip acute to acuminate, base rather broadly attached; thin, glabrous, 5-7-veined. Lateral sepals spreading, oblique, about triangular, 9-17 by 7-9.8 mm, index 1.2-1.8, upper margin proximally with a rounded to acute tooth, base broadly attached; 5-9-veined, otherwise as the median sepal. Petals recurved, oblique, (ob-)ovate, 4-8.8 by 2.5-3.5 mm, index 1.5-3.0, tip acute to acuminate, base broadly attached; thin, glabrous, 3-5-veined. Lip distinctly recurved at 1/3-1/2 of its length, general outline ovate to elliptic, 7.0-10.5 by 2.5-3.8 mm, index 2.2-3.0 (not spread), tip acute; rather thick, glabrous; adaxially concave towards the base, at the base with two slight, partly fused calli which continue as a single gradually narrowing median ridge up to 1/3-1/2 of the length of the lip, with two obtuse ridges starting close to the margin at about 1/3 of the length of the lip, converging towards its tip and continuing over 1/3-1/2 of its length, top part of the lip convex; abaxially approx. without a median ridge. Column from ovary to the tip of the stelidia 2.5-5.5 mm long; stigma approx. orbicular; column-foot without accessories. Stelidia prominent, about ovate, acute to acuminate or minutely 2-3-denticulate. (After Schuiteman & de Vogel, 20)
Colours: Leaves green without darker green margins. Floral bracts greenish with dark dots and lines. Sepals and petals translucent white, sepal midrib pale green. Lip white. Stigma yellowish green. Anther yellowish green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 100-600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May, June, July, August, September.
Distribution: Malesia (Moluccas, New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-834M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte, requires shaded position.