Bulbophyllum quadrifalciculatum J.J.Sm., Nova Guinea 14 (1929) 445, pl. 71, fig. 92
Type: Lam 1494 (holo L; iso BO)
Epiphyte, very small, tufted. Rhizome creeping, branched, covered with conspicuous, wide, keeled, apiculate, when dried pale sheaths. Roots elongated. Pseudobulbs arranged in rows, close together, making an acute angle with the rhizome, when dried oblong-subovoid, to 0.3 cm long; 1-leaved. Leaf linear, obtuse, minutely apiculate, 5-nerved, nerves when dried underneath prominent, c. 1-2.5 by 0.1-0.2 cm; base gradually narrowed; apex papillose-serrulate. Inflorescences 1-flowered. many, fascicled. Inflorescences hair-like, c. 3.2-3.5 cm long, in the middle with small tubular sheath. Floral bract shorter than the ovary, tubular, shortly patently apiculate, 0.08 cm long. Flower very small, 0.7 cm long. Median sepal widely patent, ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to the apex, obtuse, minutely apiculate, slightly concave, 3-nerved, 0.38 by almost 0.13 cm. Lateral sepals with the facing margins connate in an ovate synsepal, semiovate-lanceolate, 3-nerved, 0.42 by almost 0.2 cm; base concave, further, convex, with a longitudinal groove; apex acute, shortly bidentate, slightly recurved. Petals obliquely oblong-ovate, slightly falcate, gradually subulate-acuminate, sharply acute, 1-nerved, 0.26 by almost 0.1 cm; margins cellulose. Lip with a thin quadrangular ligament inserted on the column-foot, strongly mobile; above the base obtusely angled, slightly recurved, 3-lobed, 3-nerved, its base with 2 very small, reversed, oblong, falcate-incurved, obtuse auricles, when flattened in total 0.32 by 0.08 cm over the lateral lobes; lateral lobes at 1/5th above the base of the lip, erect, subtriangular-tooth-like, acute, falcate-incurved, inside to base of these lateral lobes with an oblique callus, below the lateral lobes with a raised, orbicular, truncate viscidium; mid-lobe narrowly oblong, 0.08 cm by almost 0.15 cm across the hairs, subobtuse, convex; underneath concave; margins rather long patent ciliate; upper side with a conspicuous, longitudinal, midrib beyond the apex extended in a minute gland. Column very short, making an obtuse angle with the ovary, dorsally convex, 0.08 cm long; clinandrium hollow, the apex triangular, somewhat incurved, with a subulate filament; stelidia porrect, straight, at the base triangular, subulate, somewhat surpassing the anther; stigma conspicuous, elliptic, deeply concave, reaching the base of the column; column-foot making obtuse angles with the column and ovary, thick, subquadrangular, truncate, slightly more than 0.05 cm long. Anther cucullate, slightly more than 0.03 cm wide; apex deflexed in a beak in front channelled extended; clinandrium high gibbose, slightly laterally compressed, very minutely verruculose. Ovary 6-grooved, furfuraceous, 0.1 cm long. Fruit with persistent, withered remains of the flower, thick, elliptic, rounded-triangular, 0.45 by 0.27 cm; with convex ribs delimited by grooves. (After Smith, 1929)
Colours: Pseudobulbs and leaf-stalk light green. Leaf rather light green. Inflorescence light violet, later greenish yellow. Floral bract light greenish yellow. Sepals dark violet. Petals very dark violet, pale yellow at base. Lip nearly black with lilac ciliae. Column pale yellow. Fruit greenish yellow with some violet.
Habitat: Epiphyte in nearly level swampy mossy forest; 1420 m.
Flowering time in the wild: October.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); see map 96-1529M.jpg.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing epiphyte.