Bulbophyllum mamberamense J.J.Sm., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 23 (1915) 15
Type: Janowsky 459 (holo BO)
Rhizome creeping, branched, rooting, terete. Pseudobulbs c. 2.5-3.5 cm apart, ovoid, obtuse, irregularly many ribbed, c. 2.2 by 1.6 cm. Leaf lanceolate, obtuse; base contracted in a petiole; upper side on either side of the midrib grooved; underneath obtuse prominent convex; margins recurved, fleshy-coriaceous, c. 13 by 4 cm; petiole c. 2.2 cm long. Inflorescences many-flowered, from the base of the pseudobulbs; peduncle terete, 0.18 cm; rachis c. 3 cm or more long, over the bracts c. 1.15 cm wide, the internodes 0.4 cm long. Floral bracts close together, distichous, imbricate, erect, incurved; base tubular, in front breaking open, conduplicate-triangular, acute, strongly keeled, c. 1.3 cm long. Flowers opening with intervals, large, c. 3.5 cm wide. Median sepal oblong, acute, inside on either side convex, 11-nerved, fleshy, c. 3.35 by 1.3 cm; midrib inside grooved, dorsally high, acute, keeled. Lateral sepals horizontal, divergent, falcate-incurved, obliquely oblong, acute, conduplicate-cymbiform, somewhat fleshy, c. 3.7 cm long, the conduplicate part slightly over 1 cm wide; keel high, acute. Petals very small, porrect, appressed to the column, obliquely transversely quadrangular, 1-nerved, fleshy, in total 0.95 by 0.33 cm, to the apex of the lobes 0.23 cm; apex obtuse bilobed, the lobes fimbriate, between these with an elongated, at the base dilated, 0.75 cm long setum. Lip mobile, simple, above the base recurved and making a straight angle with the lateral margins, subobovate-elliptic, obtuse, 7-nerved, thin fleshy, c. 2.6 by 1.55 cm; upper side convex, with a longitudinal groove which disappears towards the apex; keels 2, longitudinal, acute, above vanishing, in the basal part more raised and divergent in the basal 2/5th of the lip, between the keels transversely warty-rugose, the rest except the margins verrucose; margins in the basal part wavy-crenulate; underneath slightly concave, at the base convex, with a longitudinal groove which disappears to the top, on either side with 3 short grooves. Column above dilated and almost to the middle bifid, 0.95 cm long; clinandrium transverse deeply concave; filament short; stelidia large, divergent, obliquely oblong, at the apex unequally bidentate, upper margin sparsely very minutely denticulate, the lower tooth large, acute. Anther cucullate, in outline rounded-rhombic, 0.3 cm wide; base bilobulate; apex rounded-cucullate, apical margins subtruncate. Pollinia 4, unequal, united in 2 obliquely triangular-pear-shaped, 0.2 cm long bodies; the inner pollinia smaller than the outer ones.; stigma large, transversely 6-angular, with a longitudinal rib, in the basal part with 2 obtuse lobes, the margins raised, dilated and forming a thickened A-shape; column-foot making an almost straight angle with the ovary, with incurved apex, oblong, truncate, fleshy, 0.93 cm long. Ovary elongate-obconical, 6-grooved, 0.75 cm long; pedicel 0.8 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Leaves above shining, underneath opaque. Flowers brown with white stripes.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 0-400 m.
Flowering time in the wild: September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1094M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.