Bulbophyllum wakoi Howcroft, Sida 18 (1999) 1019
Type: Wako 105 (holo LAE)
Epiphyte, the creeping and branching habit typical of the section. Pseudobulbs c. 3-4 cm by 1.4 cm, oblong, transversely elliptic, slightly flattened. Leaves petiolate, the petiole semi-conduplicate. Inflorescence 33 cm or long, with 9 flowers; rachis short, 2.5 cm long, glabrous, nodding; peduncle 31 by 0.59 cm; sheaths 4, glabrous, tubular. Floral bracts ovate to oblong-ovate, 2.7 by 1.2 cm, concave, acute, glabrous. Flowers positioned in all directions, more or less patent, very large, moderately to wide opening; dorsal sepal ovate, 4.3 by 1.6 cm, glabrous; tip acuminate, semi-, conduplicate, slightly recurved. Lateral sepals free, obliquely triangular 5.0 by 2.1 cm, glabrous, lower margin obliquely triangular or lobed proximally; tip acuminate, semi-conduplicate. Petals ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, slightly concave, glabrous, 3.7 by 1.1 cm; tip long acuminate. Lip mobile, thick, fleshy, in general outline cordate or broadly ovate, 1.8 by 1.2 cm near base; apex blunt but dorsally bilobed, convex above with 2 slight longitudinal ridges which distally end in a slightly raised callus, with a longitudinal groove in between the ridges; margin slightly papillose; abaxial side slightly concave with an inconspicuously median ridge. Column dorsally slightly curved, from ovary to tip of stelidia 1.2 cm long; to tip of rostellum 1.0 cm long; stelidia conspicuous, subulate; with an antrorse, spathulate, truncate, verrucate tooth c. 1.0 by 0.5 cm along the lower margin which equals the stelidia in length. Column-foot at right angles to column, c. 1.0 cm long, curved towards base, broad, quadrangular, truncate, c. 1.0 cm wide, laterally lobed, with a median ridge over the face. Anther hooded; stigma more or less quadrangular. Ovary c. 1.0 cm long, glabrous; pedicel c. 4.0 cm long, glabrous; pollen not seen; fruit not seen. (After Howcroft, 1999)
Colours: Sepals and petals glossy olive-green with purple to maroon veins; base deep purple to maroon; externally darker, almost glossy brown. Lip glossy deep red, the two dorsal ridges paler, almost pink. Column dorsally white to pink with some red lines near its base; ventrally deep red. Anther red. Pedicel and ovary green.
Habitat: Epiphyte in forest; 800-1600 m.
Flowering time in the wild: April, May, June, July, August, September.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-2142M.jpg.