Bulbophyllum sawiense J.J.Sm., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11 (1912) 279
Type: Gjellerup 614 (not BO)
Rhizome pendulous, flexuous, entirely covered with persistent, appressed, veined sheaths. Roots appressed to the rhizome. Pseudobulbs spirally arranged, quadrangular, in front and back concave, in total 0.9-1 by 0.25 cm; basal part long adnate to the rhizome; free part tightly appressed to the base of the rhizome, 0.4-0.45 cm long, its apex recurved. Leaf lanceolate, acute, apiculate, fleshy, c. 3.3-4.3 by 1-0.8 cm; base narrowed and conduplicate. Inflorescences 1-flowered, from the nodes of the rhizome, fascicled; peduncle 0.5 cm long, entirely enclosed by small, tubular, membranous sheaths. Floral bract tubular, subulate-acuminate, 0.2 cm long. Flower very small. Median sepal oblong, concave, 3-nerved, 0.5 by almost 0.2 cm; top with incurved margins, conical-acuminate, acute. Lateral sepals divergent, obliquely oblong, upper 3/5th part gradually narrowed, acute, concave, 3-nerved, 0.54 by 0.2 cm; lower margin except at the base incurved. Petals very small, oblong, oblique, obtuse, 1-nerved, 0.17. by 0.08 cm; base dilated; margins minutely crenulate. Lip with a very short, membranous claw inserted on the column-foot, slightly recurved, from above linear-oblong, fleshy; base in the basal extended into a backwards-pointing, dorsally compressed, truncate appendage as long as the claw; in the basal part with dilated, erect, rounded margins, channelled-concave, in front convex, obtuse; underneath strongly channelled, pilose, 0.25 by 0.06 cm. Column 0.15 cm long; stelidia parallel, elongated, subulate, slightly curved, much longer than the anther; stigma obovate; column-foot making an obtuse angle with the ovary, incurved, oblong, concave, in cross-section especially near the apex triangular, its apex free and on either side dilated in a rounded lobule, 0.08 by 0.06 cm at the apex. Anther cucullate, laterally compressed, papillose, 0.05 cm long; margins at the base recurved; apex truncate. Ovary 6-grooved, 0.1 cm long; pedicel 0.23 cm long, 0.13 cm above the base articulate. Fruit immature, strongly 6-grooved; keels wide, slightly 2-ribbed, c. 1.5 cm long. (After Smith, 1916)
Colours: Flower brown-red with white longitudinal stripes.
Habitat: Epiphyte in lowland forest; 100-440 m.
Flowering time in the wild: March, August.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1648M.jpg.
Cultivation: Warm growing epiphyte.