Bulbophyllum ligulifolium J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 18 (1935) 68
Type: Docters van Leeuwen 10324 (holo L; iso BO)
Rhizome creeping, branched, sparsely rooting, terete, when dried 0.16-0.2 cm diam. Pseudobulbs c. 1-1.4 cm apart, elongated, when dried petiole-shaped, c. 1.7-2 cm long; 1-leaved. Leaf very narrow, sublanceolate-linear, coriaceous, c. 14-16 by 0.9-1.1 cm; base gradually weakly narrowed into a channelled petiole; apex narrowed, subacute, thickly laterally compressed-apiculate; midrib above grooved, underneath obtusely prominent. Inflorescence producing several flowers in succession, from the base of the pseudobulb; peduncle thin, c. 16.5 cm long, the basal part with c. 4 small, tubular sheaths; rachis flexuose, punctate, c. 2.5 cm long, the internodes 0.3-0.33 cm long. Floral bracts distichous, obliquely funnel-shaped, slightly incurved, strongly keeled, the keel long beyond the apex extended, laterally compressed, acute, punctate, dorsally 0.5 cm long. Flowers up to 9 or more, c. 2 by 1.9 cm. Median sepal patent, slightly incurved, obtusely angled, channelled with convex sides, elongate-5-angled, at 1/3 above the base gradually narrowed, acute; the very base on either side with a tooth small, 7-nerved, more than 2 by 0.63 cm at 1/3 above the base. Lateral sepals inserted a bit remote from the median one, widely patent, incurved, above subparallel, cymbiform-conduplicate, strongly keeled, the keel extended beyond the apex, laterally compressed, when flattened obliquely oblong, to the top narrowed, acute, posterior margins above the base making an obtuse angle, 7-nerved, c. 2.4 by 0.86 cm. Petals very small, the upper part recurved, long subulate-contracted, acute, convex, 3-nerved, 0.5-0.53 by 0.24 cm at the base. Lip mobile, parallel to the column and distinctly longer, slightly recurved, oblong, fleshy, above convex, c. 1.8 by 0.8 cm; base the sides thick patent broadly channelled with 2 small, longitudinal, closely placed keels separated by a narrow channel narrowly linear; basal part concave, in front with 2 oblique, transverse, thick, irregular keels, delimited by the margins, where meeting the keels continue parallel, separated by a small channel to 3/5 part above the base of gthe lip; to the top somewhat dilated, shortly obtuse acuminate; underneath in basal half thickly keeled, with a small longitudinal channel. Column moderately long, straight, dorsally convex, margins above the base with a backwards pointing tooth, including the anther 0.67 cm long; clinandrium hollow, transversely semiorbicular; stelidia very small, triangular, with a small, obtuse tooth on the posterior margin. Anther cucullate, in front view rounded-quadrangular; connective longitudinal, thickly gibbose, 0.14 cm wide. ; rostellum transverse, underneath convex; stigma large, concave, quadrangular, its base extended in 2 tails separated by a broadly rounded sinus, with the apex of the teeth excurrent above the base of the column; column-foot making an acute angle with the ovary, broadly linear, truncate, 0.68 cm long, its apex slightly incurved. Ovary pedicellate, 6-grooved, furfuraceous-punctate, 0.93 cm long, 0.2 cm above the base articulate. (After Smith, 1935)
Colours: Flower yellow striped violet inside. Lip orange-yellow.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 250 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1004M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.