Bulbophyllum nocturnum J.J.Verm., de Vogel, Schuit. & A.Vogel, [in press]
Type: Leiden cult. 20080300 (holo LAE; iso L), from PNG, New Britain
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome patent to pendulous, up to 15 cm long, 3-4 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 2.4-3 cm long, bracts persistent. Pseudobulbs 1-1.5 by 0.4-0.5 cm distant, ellipsoid-cylindrical. Leaves subsessile, blade 5.3-6.2 by 2.1-3.2 cm, index (length/width) 1.8-2.5, elliptic to ovate, acute, abaxial surface corrugated. Inflorescence c. 2 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle porrect, c. 0.5 cm long; bract 2, the longest c. 4 mm long; floral bract c. 6 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers opening widely. Pedicel with ovary c. 10 mm long, basal node on a c. 4 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal c. 14 by4 mm, index c. 3.5, spreading, ovate, acute, margins entire, base broadly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals c. 15 by 4 mm, index 3.7-3.8, free, triangular, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals c. 1 by 2 mm, index c. 0.5, porrect, a narrow seam along the base of the column, entire, surface glabrous; with two types of stalked, papillose appendages along the top margin; the first type thick, widest hear the base and gradually tapering distally, 5.5-8 by 0.2-0.3 mm, acute, abruptly narrowed into a thread-thin, smooth stalk c. 2 mm long, the second type much thinner, stalk-like, subulate, 3-3.5 mm long, gradually passing into a 1.5-2 mm long stalk; these appendages divided in three groups, 3 and 4 of the first type at the upper and lower edge of the petal respectively, 3 of the second type in between. Lip c. 3.3 by 1.3 mm, index 2.5-2.6, straight, 3-lobed with patent, triangular, acute lobes attached to the proximal 1/4-1/5 of the length of the lip, midlobe obovate, acuminate, thick; adaxial surface constricted to a narrow, deeply furrowed, irregularly verrucate strip with irregular edges; abaxial surface inflated, somewhat furrowed, increasingly papillose with elongated papillae towards the tip. Column c. 2.4 mm long; stigma obovate, without keels inside; foot slightly widened distally; stelidia c. 0.7 mm long, triangular, obtuse, upper margin erose, lower with a patent, deltoid, subacute tooth with a much smaller tooth on its front margin; anther-cap abaxially with a narrow crest, surface glabrous, front margin drawn out into a retuse beak; pollinia 4, inner approx. half as long as the outer. (After Vermeulen et al., in press)
Colours: Plant green, not flushed with purple. Sepals yellowish green, with some red staining proximally. Petals with greyish appendages. Lip dark red. Column yellow with some red staining.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 240-300 m.
Distribution: New Guinea.
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2352M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.