Nordic Journal of Botany 26: 129195, 2008
doi: 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2008.00220.x,
# The Authors. Journal compilation # Nordic Journal of Botany 2008
Subject Editor: Henrik Ærenlund Perdersen. Accepted 12 August 2008
New species of Bulbophyllum from eastern Malesia (Orchidaceae)
J. J. Vermeulen
J. J. Vermeulen (vermeulen@nhn.leidenuniv.nl), Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden Branch, PO Box 9514, NL2300 RA Leiden,
the Netherlands.
Thirty-eight new species of Bulbophyllum are described; thirty-seven of these are from New Guinea, the remaining species
is assumed to have originated from Ceram; notes on additional miscellaneous species from New Guinea are provided.
The island of New Guinea is politically divided into two.
The western half, formerly Netherlands New Guinea, is
today a province of Indonesia. It was recently renamed
Papua after having previously been known as Irian Jaya.
The eastern part of the island constitutes the independent
state Papua New Guinea. The wealth of biodiversity of
New Guinea is phenomenal, and the island remains one of
the last wilderness frontiers in the Malesian region.
Unfortunately, it is increasingly being encroached upon
as rich natural resources, particularly timber and mineral
ores, are exploited. Unfortunately, the exploration of New
Guinea’s wonderful biodiversity lags behind at a time when
knowledge of the most important diversity hot spots is
crucial if policies are to be developed to conserve them. I
fear that the present relentless pillage of the island’s natural
resources will lead to the annihilation of much of its
unique biodiversity even before it has been scientifically
documented.
As for orchids, the plants that seem to have such an
extraordinary appeal to the conservationist and layman
alike, the taxonomic knowledge available lies scattered over
a number of publications, some of which are not easily
accessible. The CD-rom series ‘Orchids of New Guinea’
(Schuiteman and de Vogel 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008,
in prep.) provides a synopsis of the information available so
far. Four volumes have been published, a fifth and sixth are
in preparation. The final volume will deal with the genus
Bulbophyllum, the largest genus in the area with about 600
species known.
Presented here is an anthology of thirty-seven new
species of Bulbophyllum from New Guinea, selected from
among many more novelties within the genus, extant in the
collections at Leiden (L) and elsewhere. It is as vivid a
testimony to the incredible wealth of biodiversity of New
Guinea, and to our very limited knowledge thereof, as the
recent discoveries in the Mamberamo area and the Foya
Mountains in Indonesian Papua (Salleh 2006, Fretes 2008).
The species described here have been selected from the
unidentified material because they are common, or in some
way conspicuous, or have been circulating, without a name
or under a wrong name, among amateur growers. Their
addition to the synoptic treatment will add to its usefulness.
Bulbophyllum section Brachypus Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Brachypus Schltr. (1913, pp. 700,
765); van Royen (1979, p. 200).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum maxillarioides Schltr. (designated
by van Royen 1979).
Taxonomic synonym: Bulbophyllum section Papulipetalum
Schltr. (1913, pp. 700, 769).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum papulipetalum Schltr. (designated
here).
Bulbophyllum section Papulipetalum mainly differs from
section Brachypus in generally having longer inflorescences.
This, however, cannot be quantified. Schlechter mentions
the shape of the pseudobulbs, which should be stalk-like in
section Papulipetalum and ovoid in section Brachypus. Here,
too, a morphological continuum exists, including intermediate shapes such as ovoid pseudobulbs with a drawn
out, stalk-like apical part, e.g. in B. arsoanum J. J. Sm. and
B. nematopodum F. Muell. The flower shape in both
sections displays a similar range of morphological variation.
The two sections are better united. Together, they
include a suite of medium-sized species with crowded
pseudobulbs, often with rather conspicuous bracts, and oneflowered inflorescences. Most species appear to have a
column-foot widened or laterally winged at the tip, as in
section Polymeres. In fact the delimitation towards section
Polymeres is highly problematic, particularly because
of species such as B. ellipticifolium J. J. Sm. and
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B. floribundum, both with flowers most similar to species of
section Brachypus, but with long, patent rhizomes as in
some groups of section Polymeres. J. J. Smith included both
in section Brachypus.
Bulbophyllum bombycinum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 1)
Habitat and ecology
Found as an epiphyte on the trunk of an isolated tree;
1400 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province.
A Bulbophyllo muriceo sepalis ciliolatis, labello partim
papillose pubescentibus differt.
Etymology
Type: Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Province, Bonenau,
near Mount Mon, cult. Jongejan 1145 (holotype: L).
The name refers to the velvety surface of the lip: ‘bombyx’
(Latin) a silk worm.
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.01.2 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.40.5 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.91.20.50.9 cm, borne close together, (obliquely) erect, ovoid, with or without a slightly drawn out
apical part. Leaves: petiole 1.73.2 cm long; blade 4.67
0.91.6 cm, index (length/width) 4.35.1, acute(acuminate) ovate. Inflorescence 4.55.5 cm long, 1-flowered;
peduncle 1.21.4 cm long, erect to patent; non-floriferous
bracts ca 2, the longest 2.22.8 mm long; floral bract ca
3 mm long, tubular, apiculate. Flowers moderately opening,
sepals white with purple nerves and lines of scattered, fine,
purple dots in between the nerves, petals yellow, with
blackish purple spots distally, lip pinkish purple, slightly
yellowish distally, the hairy parts paler pinkish purple.
Pedicel-with-ovary 1830 mm long, basal node on a ca
3 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 12 4.8 mm, index ca
2.5, more or less porrect to recurved, elliptic, acute, margins
ciliolate, base rather broadly attached, thick, adaxial surface
minutely pubescent over the nerves, abaxial surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 13 5 mm, index ca 2.6, free,
recurved, obliquely ellipticovate, caudate with gradually
thickened tips, upper margin glabrous, adaxial surface
minutely and sparsely pubescent, otherwise as the dorsal
sepal. Petals ca 42 mm, index ca 2, porrect, elliptic
ovate, rounded, margins papilloseciliate distally, base
rather broadly attached, rather thick, both surfaces papillose-hairly distally. Lip ca 6 3 mm, index ca 2, more or
less straight, ellipticovate, rounded, margins entire, thick;
adaxially convex except for a slight median furrow at about
one third of its length, the sides of which are finely and
shortly papillosepubescent down to the margin, surface
otherwise glabrous; abaxially without median ridge but with
a slight median furrow, surface finely and shortly papillose
pubescent up to two thirds of its length, top part glabrous.
Column ca 3 mm long; stigma triangular, without keels
inside, with a slight swelling well below its base; foot
widened, with distinct, somewhat retrorse, rounded lateral
wings just above the ligament; stelidia ca 2 mm long, semielliptic with denticulate upper margins, including a drawnout, obliquely downwards pointing, subulate tip ca 0.7 mm
long; anther-cap abaxially with a large, wide, rounded crest
near its base, surface glabrous, front drawn out, wedgeshaped with a concave front margin; pollinia 4, ovoid, the
inner somewhat shorter than the outer, more flattened; no
appendages.
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Bulbophyllum bombycinum is most similar to B. muriceum
Schltr., but differs in having ciliolate sepals and a partly
papillosepubescent lip.
Bulbophyllum variculosum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 2)
A Bulbophyllo samoano stelidiis triangularibus margine
inferiore ala distincta differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 202 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
2.02.5 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.60.9 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 2.02.2ca 1.1 cm, borne close together, (obliquely)
erect, ovoid, with or without a slightly drawn out top part.
Leaves: petiole 2.02.5 cm long; blade 1517 3.2
3.8 cm, index (length/width) 3.95.0, obovate, acuminate.
Inflorescence ca 4 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca 0.6 cm
long, erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 4, the longest
ca 4.5 mm long; floral bract ca 5.5 mm long, tubular,
apiculate. Flowers moderately opening, sepals goldenyellow, the dorsal a paler yellow proximally, the laterals
redpurple in the proximal third, petals white, lip pale
orangebrown, base white, column white, anther-cap
creamy white. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 18 mm long, basal
node on a ca 3 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 105 mm,
index ca 2, more or less porrect to recurved, ellipticovate,
rounded, margins entire, base rather narrowly attached,
thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 11 5.5 mm,
index ca 2, free, recurved, obliquely ovate, acuminate,
base broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals
ca 31 mm, index ca 3, porrect, ovate, acute, margins
entire, base rather broadly attached, rather thick, surface
glabrous. Lip ca 8 5 mm, index ca 1.6, recurved slightly
below half-way, ovate, rounded, margins entire; thick,
surface glabrous; adaxially concave proximally, with two
ridges with slightly erose crests starting near the base, at the
margin, running parallel to the margins for a short distance,
then converging, then running parallel again while leaving a
shallow furrow in between, then grading into the convex
top part of the lip, the area between the ridges and the
margins with protruding nerves; abaxially with a retuse
Figure 1. Bulbophyllum bombycinum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal (above: abaxial side,
below: adaxial side), lateral sepal, lip, (D) lip, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left:
adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (G) pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from cult. Jongejan 1145 (spirit material). Drawn
by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
131
Figure 2. Bulbophyllum variculosum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side. All from
Yumte 202 (spirit and herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
132
median ridge over up to about half-way up the lip. Column
ca 5.5 mm long; stigma semi-circular, without keels inside;
foot widened into small, somewhat antrorse, rounded lateral
wings just above the ligament; stelidia ca 2 mm long,
triangular, acuminate, with a deltoid, subacute wing along
the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially without a crest,
surface colliculate, front margin drawn out into a rounded
beak; pollinia not seen.
Habitat and ecology
Dense primary ridge-top forest about 10 m high, on
limestone bedrock; 600 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the thickened veins on the adaxial
surface of the lip.
Bulbophyllum variculosum shares an ovate lip with protruding nerves and two ridges converging over the adaxial
surface with B. samoanum Schltr. (Wickison 139, K, seen
from the Solomon Islands), but it differs in having
triangular stelidia with a distinct wing along the lower
margin. Bulbophyllum cerinum Schltr. has a similar lip, but
without thickened nerves. It also lacks the wings along the
lower margins of the stelidia.
Bulbophyllum section Cirrhopetalum
(Lindl.) Rchb. f.
Bulbophyllum section Cirrhopetalum (Lindl.) Rchb. f.
(1861, p. 259).
Basionym: Cirrhopetalum Lindl. (1824): 832 (nomen
illeg.); Lindl. (1830, p. 58 [18301840]).
Type species: Bulbophyllum longiflorum Thou.
Taxonomic synonym: Bulbophyllum section Ephippium
(Bl.) Schltr. (1913, pp. 700, 777), basionym: Ephippium
Bl. (1825, p. 308).
Lectotype: Ephippium lepidum Bl. [Bulbophyllum lepidum (Bl.) J. J. Sm.] (designated here).
Within Ephippium, Blume (1825) lists 5 species which now
would be included in as many different sections. Schlechter
(1913) listed a series of species under this name, reduced to
section level, that would now be included in the sections
Polymeres (Bl.) J. J. Verm. and O’Byrne (including one of
the syntype species) and Hoplandra J. J. Verm. Van Royen
(1979, p. 203) lectotypified the section Ephippium (Bl.)
Schltr with B. nasica Schltr, a species not included in
Blume’s original series. This has to be rejected. When
relectotypifying Ephippium, I have here choosen a species of
the original series in accordance with the conservation of
generic name Cirrhopetalum against it.
Bulbophyllum section Coelochilus Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Coelochilus Schltr. (1913, pp. 696,
710); van Royen (1979, p. 164).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum stabile J. J. Sm. (designated by van
Royen, 1979).
Taxonomic synonyms: Bulbophyllum section Scaphochilus
Schltr. (1913, pp. 696, 707); J. J. Smith (1916, p. 361): (in
syn.); van Royen (1979, p. 165) (in syn.).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum scyphochilus Schltr. (designated
here).
Bulbophyllum section Trachychilus Schltr. (1913, pp. 696,
730).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum humile Schltr. (designated here).
Bulbophyllum section Scaphochilus comprises a series of
species with a distinctly concave lip. Both J. J. Smith (l. c.)
and van Royen (l. c.) agree that otherwise it is barely
distinct from section Coelochilus which has a flat or convex
lip. Besides, a species as B. inclinatum J. J. Sm. could be
regarded as intermediate because it has an only moderately
concave lip. Section Trachychilus is only distinct from
section Coelochilus in having the lateral sepals fused along
the lower margin. Selecting this character yields a random
sub-set of section Coelochilus with clustered species next
to species with a patent or pendulous rhizome, such as
B. pendens, below. Section Trachychilus, too, is best
included in section Coelochilus.
Bulbophyllum ascochilum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 3)
A Bulbophyllo aristilabri, B. nitido et B. pulchro petalis
distincte unguiculatis, labro plerumque paulo acuminato
differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, no further information, Hort.
LEI 940422 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below or near the pseudobulbs.
Rhizome 34 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 1.01.5 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent.
Pseudobulbs 2.33.20.81.0 cm, somewhat distant,
ovoid. Leaves: petiole 1.83.0 cm long; blade 8.511
2.43.5 cm, index (length/width) 3.13.7 (elliptic)
obovate, acute(acuminate). Inflorescence 1122 cm long,
1-flowered; peduncle 616 cm long, erect to patent; nonfloriferous bracts ca 3, the longest 69 mm long; floral bract
ca 14 mm long, tubular, acuminate. Flowers widely opening, sepals white with large purple blotches proximally,
grading into a pale purple staining distally, lateral sepals
only with purple distally, petals translucent with a greenish
133
Figure 3. Bulbophyllum ascochilum. (A) habit, (B) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, lateral sepal, petal, lip, adaxial and
abaxial side, (C) column, side view, (D) column, front view and lip base, (E) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: side view, (F) pollinia,
left: a single pair, middle and right: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 940422 (spirit sample). Drawn by H. Job. All scale bars are given in
mm.
134
mid-nerve and blackish purple spots along the margins, lip
dull purple with numerous blackish purple dots, column
whitish with some purple staining. Pedicel-with-ovary ca
38 mm long, basal node on a ca 12 mm long stump. Dorsal
sepal ca 40 4 mm, index ca 10, reflexed, ovate, acute,
margins entire, base rather broadly attached, rather thin,
surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 437.5 mm, index 5.7
5.8, free, base rather broadly attached, otherwise as the
dorsal sepal. Petals ca 11 3.8 mm, index ca 2.9, porrect,
clawed, elliptic, acute, margins slightly erose and very finely
papillose, base broadly attached, rather thin, surface
glabrous. Lip ca 4312 mm including a claw of ca
4 mm, index ca 3.6, attached to the column-foot by a
transverse, semi-circular area and immobile, straight, ovate,
shortly clawed, acuteacuminate, margins entire, rather thin
and spongy; adaxially with a transverse ridge just above the
area of attachment marking the starting point of two short,
parallel, rather high, rounded, thin keels continuing over ca
3 mm of the length of the lip, adaxial surface otherwise
distinctly convex, surface with scattered papillae and tiny
groups of papillae on top of slightly larger, inconspicuous
verrucae; abaxially with two broad, rounded, diverging keels
and convex near the base, otherwise deeply concave, slightly
furrowed along the median line, surface glabrous. Column
ca 3.8 mm long, hardly curved; stigma narrowly triangular,
without keels inside; foot distinctly widened; stelidia ca
0.5 mm long, deltoid, acute, with a deltoid, obtuse tooth
along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a high,
conical, acute crest, surface papillose, front margin not
drawn out; pollinia 4, obovoid, the inner flat, somewhat
enveloped by the recurved lateral sides of the outer; no
appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: locality unknown.
Etymology
The name refers to the inflated appearance of the lip: ‘askos’
(Greek) a bag.
Bulbophyllum ascochilum is most similar to B. aristilabre J. J.
Sm., B. nitidum Schltr., and B. pulchrum Schltr. It differs
form all three in having distinctly clawed petals and a
slightly acuminate lip.
Bulbophyllum biserratum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 4)
A Bulbophyllo leucorhodo floribus minoribus (sepalis ca 5 mm
longis versus 7.5 mm longis), labello praeter margines vesicularum seriee praeterea glabris differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
south facing slope of Mount Alio, Hort. LEI 20030162
(holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome ca
1.5 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 0.4
0.6 cm long, erect to patent, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.80.9 0.250.35 cm, loosely clustered, ovoid.
Leaves: petiole 0.10.4 cm long; blade 1.74.5 0.45
0.5 cm, index (length/width) 3.410, elliptic, apiculate.
Inflorescence ca 1 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca
0.15 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bract 1, ca 2.5 mm
long; floral bract ca 3.5 mm long, tubular, apiculate.
Flowers widely opening, sepals creamy-white with red
nerves, petals creamy-white, lip proximally dull purple,
the swollen distal part pale dull yellow. Pedicel-with-ovary
ca 5 mm long, basal node on a ca 0.3 mm long stump.
Dorsal sepal ca 4.8 2.2 mm, index ca 2.2, spreading,
ellipticovate, subacute, margins slightly erose distally, base
rather broadly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lateral
sepals ca 52 mm, index ca 2.5, free, ovate, lower margin
sharply folded inwards, slightly erose, otherwise as the
dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1.7 0.4 mm, index 4.24.3, porrect,
oblong, rounded, margins finely erose, base rather narrowly
attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 3.5 0.7 mm, index
ca 5, attached to the column-foot by a narrow, transverse
area and still partly mobile, gently sigmoid, oblong
spathulate, rounded, margins entire, with a row of flattened,
more or less triangular appendages in the middle third,
thick and spongy, surface glabrous; adaxially without a
transverse ridge and concave just above the area of
attachment, with two low, obtuse keels starting near the
base, at the margins, then quickly converging until they
almost meet, then continuing parallel and close together,
leaving a narrow furrow in between, up to about one third
of the length of the lip, surface otherwise convex; abaxially
convex, with a shallow median furrow proximally. Column
ca 1.2 mm long, more or less straight; stigma elliptic,
without keels inside; foot not widened distally, with a
transverse, flat, slightly antrorse ledge just above the area of
attachment; stelidia ca 0.3 mm long, triangular, acute, with
a deltoid, rounded to obtuse wing along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially with a slight, papillose crest, surface
otherwise more or less glabrous, front margin not drawn
out; pollinia 4, obovoid, all flat, the inner as long as the
outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Upper montane forest ca 25 m high, on steep slope, with
scattered Araucaria trees; 21002300 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
135
Figure 4. Bulbophyllum biserratum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, lateral sepal, petal, (D) lip,
left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) column, front views, the above with the anther-cap in position,
(G) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, middle: adaxial side, right: side view, (H) pollinia, left: two pairs from two sides, right: a single pair from
two sides. All from Hort. LEI 20030162 (spirit material). Drawn by A. Walsmit Sachs. All scale bars are given in mm.
136
Etymology
The name refers to the row of teeth along the lip margins.
Bulbophyllum biserratum is most similar to B. leucorhodum
Schltr. in all aspects but particularly in the shape of the
petals. Bulbophyllum biserratum differs in having smaller
flowers (sepals ca 7.5 mm long in B. leucorhodum), and in
having a lip with a row of vesicles along the sides, but which
is otherwise glabrous. Bulbophyllum pemae Schltr. differs in
having entire petals.
Bulbophyllum biserratum looks like a typical member of
section Coelochilus in all aspects, yet it is aberrant in one
diagnostic character for this section. Instead of having the
lip firmly fused to the column-foot, as usual in section
Coelochilus, it is connected to the column-foot by a
ligament, as in most Bulbophyllum species. A transverse
ledge on the column-foot, just above the ligament, fits in
the space in between the two short keels on the lip.
transverse ridge just above the area of attachment, with a ca
0.8 mm long concave area in front, distally abruptly passing
into a more or less flat area, otherwise convex, with a
somewhat corrugated surface; abaxially convex proximally,
elsewhere with a shallow median furrow, surface glabrous.
Column ca 3.5 mm long, gently curved, somewhat more so
about half-way; stigma narrowly triangular, without keels
inside, with a conical, obtuse callus well below it; foot
widened into two thick more or less lateral calli just above
the area of attachment; stelidia ca 0.9 mm long, deltoid
triangular, acute, with the upper margin distinctly erose,
with a deltoid, apiculate tooth along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially without a crest, surface finely papillose,
front margin drawn out into a small, triangular, acute beak;
pollinia 4, obovoid, the inner flat, somewhat enveloped by
the recurved lateral sides of the outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in a tall tree; 1760 m a.s.l.
Bulbophyllum cyrtophyllum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 5)
Distribution
A Bulbophyllo scitulo foliis longioribus angustioribusque (16
18 0.450.75 versus ca 11 1 cm), inflorescentia breviore
(22.5 cm longa versus 89 cm), petalis attenuatis valide
deorsum depentibus differt.
Papua New Guinea: Madang Province.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Madang Province, foot of
Mount Hellwig, Bena, cult. Jongejan 1310 (holotype: L).
The name refers to the curved leaves: ‘kurtos’ (Greek) bent.
Roots sprouting mainly below or near the pseudobulbs.
Rhizome 1.82.2 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 1.32.0 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent.
Pseudobulbs 0.91.21.01.6 cm, somewhat distant,
shortly ovoid to thickly lenticular. Leaves pendulous; petiole
4.56.0 cm long; blade 1618 0.450.75 cm, index
(length/width) 2432, falcate, elliptic, acute. Inflorescence
2.02.5 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca 0.9 cm long,
erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 3, the longest ca
3.5 mm long; floral bract tubular, 67 mm long, apiculate.
Flowers widely opening, sepals and petals white, densely
spotted with dark red, petals also with a large dark red
blotch proximally, lip yellow, finely spotted dark red,
margins dark red near the base, column white, with tiny
dark red dots. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 12 mm long, basal
node on a ca 2.5 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 22
3 mm, index 78, recurved to spreading, ovate, tapering
distally, acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached,
thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 23 4 mm, index
5.7 6.0, free, spreading, lower margin sharply folded
inwards, slightly erose, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals
ca 3 2 mm, index ca 1.5, recurved, strongly curved
downwards, ovatetriangular, tapering distally and with a
distinct, rounded lobe proximally along the lower margin,
acute, margins entire, base narrowly attached, thin, surface
glabrous. Lip ca 11.5 1.8 mm, index ca 6.4, attached to
the column-foot by a transverse, rather narrow area and
partly mobile, gently curved over its entire length, ovate,
acute, margins entire, thick and spongy; adaxially with a
Etymology
Bulbophyllum cyrtophyllum is most similar to B. scitulum
Ridl., but differs in having longer and narrower leaves (ca
11 1 cm in B. scitulum), a shorter inflorescence (89 cm
long in B. scitulum), and in having tapering, strongly
decurved petals.
Bulbophyllum pendens J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 6)
A Bulbophyllo inter sectionis Coelochilus species cum sepalis
lateralibus connatis rhizomate longe pendulo differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 115 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 30 cm long, 2.02.5 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 1.62.2 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
rather persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.82.1 0.350.45 cm,
somewhat distant, ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.10.15 cm
long; blade 5.26.3 0.70.8 cm, index (length/width)
6.59, elliptic, acute. Inflorescence ca 1.3 cm long,
1-flowered; peduncle ca 0.2 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts ca 2, the longest ca 5 mm long; floral bract ca
4.7 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers widely opening,
cream-coloured, densely spotted dark dull purple, column
cream-coloured, anther-cap light yellow. Pedicel-with-ovary
ca 5 mm long, basal node on a ca 1.3 mm long stump.
137
Figure 5. Bulbophyllum cyrtophyllum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) column in side view, (G) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right:
adaxial side, (H) pollinia, left: two pairs, right: a single pair. All from cult. Jongejan 1310 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All
scale bars are given in mm.
138
Figure 6. Bulbophyllum pendens. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepals, lip, (D) lip,
left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) base of lip, adaxial side, (F) column and lip, side view, (G) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right:
abaxial side. All from Yumte 115 (spirit and herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
139
Dorsal sepal ca 5.51.8 mm, index 33.1, spreading,
ovateoblong, acuteacuminate, margins entire but slightly
papillose distally, base broadly attached, thin, surface
glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 5.0 2.1 mm, index ca 2.6,
fused along the lower margins except near the tip, obliquely
ovate, margins entire, base rather broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1.51.4 mm, index ca
1.1, recurved, straight, rhombiform with obtuse edges along
upper and lower margin, acute, margins erose distally, base
narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 4.0
1.2 mm, index ca 3.5, attached to the column-foot by a
triangular area, more or less immobile, straight, elliptic
oblong, obtuse, margins entire, with two erect, triangular,
obtuse auricles proximally, touching the column face, thick
and spongy, surface finely and somewhat irregularly
papillose distally; adaxially with a transverse ridge just
above the area of attachment, with a ca 1 mm long concave
area in front, distally gradually passing into the convex
distal part; abaxially convex, deeply grooved along the
median line. Column ca 2 mm long, gently curved; stigma
narrowly triangular, without keels inside; foot gradually
thickened distally; stelidia ca 0.4 mm long, more or less
triangular, acuminate, with a small, antrorse, deltoid, obtuse
tooth along the upper margin, with a deltoid, obtuse tooth
along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a narrow
crest proximally, surface finely papillose, front margin
drawn out into a small, triangular, acute beak; pollinia
not seen.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in mossy, ca 5 m high, open forest on limestone
bedrock; 600 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the pendulous rhizomes.
Among the species of section Coelochilus with fused lateral
sepals (previously distinguished as section Trachychilus
Schltr.), B. pendens is the first with a long-pendulous
rhizome. Bulbophyllum kusaiense Tuyama, from the Caroline Islands, agrees rather well with B. pendens, and is
described as ‘decumbens’. However, the height of the plant
is given as 6 cm, with the pseudobulbs plus leaves also being
around 6 cm high; it must therefore have a very shortly
patent rhizome only. It also differs from B. pendens in
having triangular petals and a column three times as long as
the petals. The flowers of B. pendens are most similar to B.
humile Schltr. and B. novahiberniae Schltr., but distinctly
smaller (sepals 8 mm or longer in both these species), and
have rhombiform petals.
140
Bulbophyllum stalagmotelos J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 7)
A Bulbophyllo alkmaarensi sepalis brevioribus latioribusque
(sepalo medio 8.5 3.0 mm versus 1014 2 mm), petalis
ovate triangularibus, labello rugose papilloso differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, no further information, Hort.
LEI 920383 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below or near the pseudobulbs.
Rhizome 1.22.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 1.62.8 cm long, creeping, bracts little persistent.
Pseudobulbs 1.42.20.81.3 cm, somewhat distant,
ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.41.2 cm long; blade 5.910.5
1.42.9 cm, index (length/width) 3.14.2, elliptic(ovate),
acute. Inflorescence 4.95.4 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle
ca 3.7 cm long, erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 2,
the longest 3.74.5 mm long; floral bract ca 3.5 mm long,
tubular, acuminate. Flowers widely opening, colour not
recorded. Pedicel-and-ovary ca 8 mm long, basal node on a
ca 1 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 8.53.0 mm, index
2.82.9, spreading, obovate, subacute, margins entire, base
rather broadly attached, thin, surface adaxially slightly and
very finely papillose, abaxially glabrous. Lateral sepals ca
7.5 3.7 mm, index ca 2, free, spreading to reflexed,
obliquely elliptic, acute, base rather narrowly attached,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1.8 0.7 mm, index
ca 2.6, recurved, somewhat curved downwards near the
base, ovatetriangular with a subacute edge proximally
along the upper margin, subacute, margins entire, base
broadly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip attached to the
column-foot by a transverse, rather narrow area, little
mobile, straight, consisting of an oblong proximal part ca
1.7 0.9 mm and an much wider, elliptic distal part, lip
altogether ca 4.72.4 mm, index ca 2, rounded, margins
with two erect, triangular, obtuse, entire auricles proximally, touching the column face, margins erose distally;
thick and spongy; adaxially with a transverse ridge just
above the area of attachment, with the proximal part
concave, glabrous, distally gradually passing into the
convex, subglobular distal part, this part with the margins
reflexed so that they leave only a narrow space in between,
surface increasingly rugosepapillose towards the tip;
abaxially convex proximally, elsewhere deeply concave,
with a shallow median furrow, surface glabrous. Column
ca 2 mm long, gently curved; stigma triangular, without
keels inside, with a conical, obtuse callus well below it; foot
widened into two thick more or less lateral calli just above
the area of attachment; stelidia ca 0.4 mm long, deltoid,
acute, with a small, deltoid, obtuse tooth along the upper
margin, with a deltoid, apiculate tooth along the lower
margin; anther-cap abaxially without a crest, surface finely
papillose, front margin not drawn out; pollinia 4, obovoid,
flat, the inner lying in the somewhat concave outer; no
appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Figure 7. Bulbophyllum stalagmotelos. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 920383 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are
given in mm.
141
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: locality unknown.
Etymology
The name refers to the shape to the lip: ‘stalagma’ (Greek)
drop, and ‘telos’ (Greek) top.
Bulbophyllum alkmaarense J. J. Sm. has a lip of roughly
similar shape. Bulbophyllum stalagmotelos differs in many
characters, among them the shorter and wider sepals (dorsal
sepal 1014 2 mm in B. alkmaarense), ovatetriangular
petals and a rugosepapillose lip.
Bulbophyllum section Epicranthes (Bl.)
Hook. f.
Bulbophyllum section ‘Epicrianthes’ (Blume) Hook. f. (1890,
p. 753). Basionym: Epicranthes Blume (1825, p. 307).
Based on the same type: Bulbophyllum subgenus ‘Epicrianthes’ (Blume) Schltr. (1913, p. 705).
Type: Epicranthes javanica Blume [Bulbophyllum epicrianthes
(Blume) Hook. f.].
See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008) for synonymy and
further information.
Bulbophyllum corrugatum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 8)
A Bulbophyllo hexarhopalos foliis abaxiliter aspere corrugatis,
petalorum appendicibus magnis numero minore (4 versus 6 vel
7) differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, cult.
Jongejan 101 (holotype: L).
Bulbophyllum hexarhopalos auct. non Schltr., J. J. Verm.
(1982, p. 22).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 40 cm long, 35 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 1.01.6 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.61.0 0.30.6 cm distant, ellipsoid. Leaves: petiole 0.20.3 cm long; blade 3.55.5
2.12.9 cm, index (length/width) 1.62.2, ovate, acute,
abaxial surface finely and densely corrugated, dark green
adaxially, dark purple abaxially. Inflorescence ca 2 cm long,
1-flowered; peduncle porrect, 0.30.4 cm long; non-floriferous bract 1 (?), ca 3 mm long; floral bract ca 4 mm long,
tubular, acute. Flowers widely opening, sepals white with
redpurple spots, petals with greyish green appendages, lip
redpurple. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 8 mm long, basal node
on a ca 3 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 9.03.5 mm,
index 2.52.6, spreading, ovatetriangular, acute, margins
entire, base broadly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral
142
sepals ca 8.5 3 mm, index 2.82.9, free, ovate, otherwise
as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1 3 mm, index ca 0.3, porrect
or somewhat recurved, a narrow seam along the side of the
column, entire, surface glabrous; with two types of stalked,
papillose appendages along the top margin; the first thick,
flattenedellipsoid to ovoid, 46 0.81.0 mm, obtuse,
abruptly narrowed into a thread-thin, smooth stalk 12 mm
long, the second type stalk-like, subulate, 2.02.5 mm long,
passing into a 11.8 mm long stalk of equal thickness; these
appendages divided in two groups, one along the upper and
one along the lower edge of the petal, each group consisting
of 2 thick appendages and one stalk-like, and one more
stalk-like appendage in between the groups. Lip ca 3.0
1.8 mm, index 1.61.7, straight, more or less ovate, a
slightly narrowed basal part, subacute, margins entire, thick;
adaxially with the margins spreading proximally, concave in
between, the margins converging over the proximal surface
as obtuse ridges at about a quarter of the length of the lip,
then running parallel and clasping two more, equally strong
ridges which start slightly proximally of the point where the
first pair meets the margins, at two thirds of the length of
the lip the ridges fuse pair-wise, and diverge a little to leave
a deep slit in between, adaxial surface convex distally,
coarsely papillose towards the margins; abaxially convex,
deeply grooved along the median line and with a coarsely
papillose surface distally. Column ca 2 mm long; stigma
narrowly triangular, without keels inside; foot not widened
distally; stelidia ca 0.6 mm long, triangular, acute, with a
small, patent, deltoid, subacute tooth along the lower
margin; anther-cap abaxially with a crest proximally, surface
papillose, front margin drawn out into a retuse beak;
pollinia not seen.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: New Ireland Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the rough abaxial surface of the leaves.
Bulbophyllum corrugatum is similar to B. hexarhopalos Schltr.
in the sense that it has three much smaller petal appendages
in between two groups of large ones. Bulbophyllum
corrugatum differs in the roughly corrugated abaxial leaf
surface, and in having a smaller number of large petal
appendages (67 large appendages in B. hexarhopalos).
Bulbophyllum schuitemanii J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 9)
A Bulbophyllo hirundinifero et B. phymato petalis appendicibus ovoidee conicis, a priori labello sine vesiculis, a posteriori
petalis appendicibus papillosis differt.
Figure 8. Bulbophyllum corrugatum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
petal, (E) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (F) column and lip, side view. All from cult. Jongejan 101 (living plant, spirit material).
Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
143
Figure 9. Bulbophyllum schuitemanii. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (G) pollinia,
above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Schuiteman, Mulder & Vogel 52 (spirit and herbarium material). Drawn by J. J.
Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
144
Type: Papua New Guinea, Southern Highlands Province,
Lake Kutubu, Schuiteman, Mulder & Vogel 52 (holotype:
L).
Distribution
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 40 cm long, 1.72.0 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 1.42.0 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.91.2 0.250.3 cm distant,
ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.40.5 cm long; blade 3.55.3
1.21.7 cm, ovate, index (length/width) 2.83.3, acute,
distinctly convex proximally. Inflorescence ca 1 cm long, 1flowered; peduncle ca 0.3 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous
bracts 3, the longest ca 3.2 mm long; floral bract ca 2.8 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers widely opening, sepals yellow,
petal appendages greenish brown, lip dark brownish purple.
Pedicel-with-ovary ca 5 mm long, basal node on a ca 1 mm
long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 6.02.3 mm, index ca 2.6,
spreading, ovatetriangular, acute, margins entire, base
broadly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca
6.0 2.4 mm, index ca 2.5, free, otherwise as the dorsal
sepal. Petals ca 0.6 2.0 mm, index ca 0.3, porrect or
somewhat recurved, a narrow seam along the sides of the
column, margins entire, surface glabrous; with two types of
stalked, papillose appendages along the top margin; the first
thick, flattenedovoid to conical, 3.04.5 0.30.4 mm,
obtuse, abruptly narrowed into a thread-thin, smooth stalk
0.51.0 mm long, the second type stalk-like, subulate with
a slightly and gradually thickened top, altogether ca 1 mm
long; total number of appendages 13, more or less divided
into two groups, one along the upper and one along the
lower edge of the petal, each group consisting of 6 thick
appendages, one stalk-like appendage in between the
groups. Lip ca 2.8 1.2 mm, index ca 2.3, recurved near
the base, more or less oblong, rounded, margins entire,
thick; adaxially with the margins spreading proximally,
concave in between, the margins converging over the
proximal surface as obtuse ridges at about a quarter of the
length of the lip, there clasping two more, weaker ridges
running alongside a median slit, and fusing pair-wise, the
median slit continuing over three quarters of the length of
the lip; adaxial surface convex distally, finely papillose, most
distinctly so half-way near the margins; abaxially shallowly
concave half-way, convex distally with a shallow median
furrow, surface finely papillose except near the base.
Column ca 2 mm long; stigma transversely elliptic, without
keels inside; foot not widened distally; stelidia ca 0.7 mm
long, falcate, triangular, acute, upper margin erose, with a
small, patent, deltoid, obtuse tooth along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially with a crest proximally, surface more or
less glabrous, front margin drawn out into a retuse beak;
pollinia 4, more or less ellipsoid, somewhat flattened, the
inner minute; no appendages.
Etymology
Habitat and ecology
Found as an epiphyte in disturbed rain forest with
Lithocarpus etc., 900 m a.s.l.
Papua New Guinea: Southern Highlands Province.
Named in honour of Andre Schuiteman, principal author
of the CD-rom series ‘Orchids of New Guinea’.
Bulbophyllum hirudiniferum J. J. Verm. and B. phymatum J.
J. Verm. have a similar configuration of the appendages
along the petal margins: a single small appendage in
between two groups of distinctly larger appendages.
Bulbophyllum schuitemanii differs from both in having
ovoidconical petal appendages (not elliptic or oblong
with a rounded tip), from the first in lacking any large
vesicles on the lip, and from the second in having papillose
(not long-hairy) petal appendages.
Bulbophyllum section Gongorodes J. J. Sm.
Bulbophyllum section Gongorodes J. J. Sm. (1914, p. 35).
Type: Bulbophyllum digitatum J. J. Sm.
This section comprises two species only, B. digitatum J. J.
Sm., and D. scorpio J. J. Verm., described below. The
intricately folded or incised petal tips are a unique character.
Without it, the species would more or less fit in section
Leopardinae, as a marginal group distinguished by the
relatively small petals and the elongated column-foot. I
prefer to retain both species in a separate section.
Bulbophyllum scorpio J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 10)
A Bulbophyllo digitato petalis distaliter paulo erosis solum,
stelidiis marginibus inferioribus ala deltoidea differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Southern Highlands Province,
Erave area, cult. Stocker 7 (holotype: SING, isotype: L).
Vegetative parts not seen. Inflorescence a rather lax raceme,
ca 10-flowered; peduncle erect to patent; rachis ca 16 cm
long, arching; floral bracts 1114 mm long, ovate, the
lowermost tubular, acute. Flowers with the lip pointing
towards the top of the rachis, wide-opening, many
simultaneously, pedicel-with-ovary light green, dorsal sepal
light green, abaxially near the base brownish red, lateral
sepals light yellowish green, abaxially the basal one-third to
one-half with a brownish red stripe, petals light yellowish
green, lip light yellowish green, brownish red towards the
margins, column including foot whitish yellow, pollinia
yellow. Pedicel-with-ovary 2232 mm long, basal node
flush with the surface of the rachis. Dorsal sepal ca 16
8 mm, index ca 2, recurved, sub-triangular with acute edges
near the base, acute, margins entire, base narrowly attached,
central part thick, but rather thin distally and towards the
145
Figure 10. Bulbophyllum scorpio. (A) inflorescence, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side. All
from cult. Stocker 7 (spirit material, photographs). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
146
margins, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 3712 mm,
index ca 3.1, free, spreading, falcate, about elliptic with a
triangular, acute tooth along its upper margin, at one third
of its length, rather thick, otherwise as the dorsal sepal.
Petals ca 9 3 mm, index ca 3 (unflattened), porrect, more
or less obovate, entire top part folded twice, once outwards,
with the fold itself formed into a pouch, and then inwards
again; top roundedtruncate, margins erose distally; base
decurrent, in particular the lower margin which continues
as a narrow seam along the column-foot for ca 8 mm, thin,
surface glabrous. Lip ca 9 7 mm, index ca 1.3 (unflattened), recurved near the base, otherwise more or less
straight, ovatetriangular, rounded, margins entire, very
thick; adaxially concave, with 3 ridges: an obtuse median
ridge starting at the base, continuing up to three quarters of
the length of the lip, and bordered on both sides by a deep
furrow, and two high, obtuse ridges starting near the base,
then converging slightly and running more or less parallel to
the margin, distally meeting the margin again, surface
glabrous but with fine, transverse wrinkles in the areas
between the lateral ridges and the margin; abaxially convex,
with a shallow median furrow, surface glabrous. Column ca
6.5 mm long; stigma transversely elliptic, without keels
inside, with a slight swelling well below its base; foot
elongated so that the attachment of the petals and the lateral
sepals are separated by a ca 9 mm long gap, distally
widened, with two diverging, obtuse teeth below the
attachment of the lip; stelidia ca 1.5 mm long, triangular
with a convex upper margin, acute, with a patent, deltoid,
rounded wing along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially
without a crest, surface more or less glabrous, front margin
not drawn out, widely rounded; pollinia 4, not seen;
without appendages (field observation on fresh flower).
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Type: Bulbophyllum restrepia Ridl.
Species of this section share the following characters:
median sepal with a sharply conduplicate apical part.
Lateral sepals distinctly longer than the median. Column
foot not widened nor thickened. Anther with an upturned,
distinctly widened and thickened top part.
Section Polymeres (Bl.) J. J. Verm and O’Byrne differs in
having a flat or concave, but distally not truly conduplicate
median sepal, and a column foot which is widened distally,
and usually has inconspicuous to distinct lateral wings close
to the ligament, and an anther without a dorsoventrally
flattened, upturned apical part. Section Monanthaparva
Ridl. differs in usually having a flat or concave median sepal
(but somewhat conduplicate in B. hemisterranthum J. J.
Verm. and O’Byrne and B. pachyneuron Schltr; and
abaxially keeled in B. foraminiferum J. J. Verm.), and in
lacking a thickened apical part of the anther.
Species of section Hoplandra have been included in sect.
Ephippium (Bl.) Schltr. by, for instance, Schlechter (1913,
p. 777). The name cannot be used for the suite here
included in sect. Hoplandra because none of these are
syntype species of section Ephippium.
The name refers to the anther, heavily armed in front
with a shield-like structure.
The following, provisionally accepted species are included:
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum
baladeanum J. J. Sm.
contortisepalum J. J. Sm.
drepanosepalum J. J. Verm. and O’Byrne
falciferum J. J. Sm.
impar Ridl. (?, position uncertain)
inaequisepalum Schltr.
louisiadum Schltr.
ngoyense Schltr.
obovatifolium J. J. Sm.
potamophila Schltr.
restrepia Ridl.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Southern Highlands Province.
Bulbophyllum section Hybochilus Schltr.
Etymology
Bulbophyllum section Hybochilus Schltr. (1912, p. 96);
Schltr. (1913, pp. 702, 823).
The name refers to the general shape of the flowers.
Type: Bulbophyllum masarangicum Schltr.
Bulbophyllum scorpio differs from B. digitatum J. J. Sm. by
the petals which have only slightly erose distal margins, and
by the deltoid wing along the lower margins of the stelidia.
See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008) for further information.
Bulbophyllum section Hoplandra J. J. Verm.
sect. nov.
Sepali medii pars apicalis conduplicata, sepala lateralia media
longiora, columnae pes non dilatatus, antherae pars apicalis
valde crassa et dilatata dorsoventraliter applanata sursum
curvata notata.
Bulbophyllum chlorolirion J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 11)
A Bulbophylli inter sectionis Hybochilus species floribus
magnis, petalis sepalis fere aequilongis distinguinda.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands Province,
Goroka, Daulo Pass, cult. Jongejan 658 (holotype: L).
147
Figure 11. Bulbophyllum chlorolirion. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: abaxial side, below: adaxial side. (A)
from Woods 330 (herbarium material), (B)(F) from cult. Jongejan 658 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are
given in mm.
148
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
23 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.50.6 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.01.8 0.61.2 cm, borne close together, erect,
ovoid, surface rugose. Leaves: petiole 0.41.2 cm long;
blade 2.86.5 1.41.6 cm, index (length/width) 2.04.7,
elliptic, obtuse to subacute. Inflorescence 68 cm long, 1flowered; peduncle 5.56.5 cm long, erect to patent; nonfloriferous bracts ca 2, the longest ca 4 mm long; floral bract
ca 3 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening,
sepals and petals green at the base, purple towards the tip
and the margins, and with three purple nerves, lip purple,
abaxially white near the base. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 4 mm
long, basal node coinciding with the bract attachment.
Dorsal sepal ca 153 mm, index ca 5, recurved, ovate,
acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached, thin,
surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 164 mm, index ca 4,
free, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 14 3.5 mm,
index ca 4, recurved, ovate, acuminate, margins about
entire, base narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca
4.5 1.2 mm, index 3.73.8, recurved near the base,
triangular, acute, margins with two pairs of auricles: one
pair close to the ligament, retrorse, ovate, rounded, one pair
reaching up to about one fifth of the length of the lip, low
and wide, broadly rounded, beyond these the lip margins
longciliate, rather thick; adaxially concave proximally,
more or less flat distally, with three ridges, an obtuse
median starting near the base and soon grading into the lip
surface, and two more ridges close to the median, obtuse,
continuing up to about half of the length of the lip and with
their crests touching over the furrow in between for a short
distance beyond the end of the median ridge, adaxial surface
very finely and densely papillose to shortly hairy; abaxially
with a short, rounded median ridge near the base, elsewhere
more or less flat, somewhat furrowed, surface glabrous.
Column ca 1.2 mm long; stigma transversely elliptic,
without keels inside; foot not widened; stelidia ca 0.8 mm
long, oblong, slightly tapering, tip deeply emarginate, with
obtuse lobes with finely papillose margins; anther-cap
abaxially with a large, wide, rounded crest, surface papillose,
front margin drawn out into a truncate, thin beak; pollinia
not seen.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in montane forest; 15002800 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province, Eastern Highlands
Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the colour and shape of the flowers:
‘chloros’ (Greek) green and ‘lirion’ lily.
Among members of section Hybochilus, B. chlorolirion is
characterized by the large size of the flowers and by the petals
being almost as long as the sepals. Bulbophyllum colubrimodum Ames has flowers with sepals of similar length, but petals
only ca 5 mm long; B. elmeri Ames has sepals and petals of
about equal length, but a distinctly 3-lobed lip.
Bulbophyllum section Leopardinae Benth.
and Hook. f.
Bulbophyllum section Leopardinae Benth. and Hook. f.
(1883, p. 503).
Type: (not mentioned explicitly, reference only given):
Dendrobium leopardinum Wall. [Bulbophyllum leopardinum (Wall.) Lindl.].
See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008) for synonymy and
further information.
Bulbophyllum ichthyosme J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 12)
A Bulbophyllo wakoi labello angustiore, stelidiorum margine
inferiore dentibus praeter margines sine crista abaxiali,
columnae pedi alis distinctis ligamento proxime differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Tobi Mountains, Kebar, Koster
BW 6896 (holotype: L).
Roots mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome ca 10 mm
in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs at least 8 cm
long, bract fibres persistent, thick. Pseudobulbs ca 3.5
1.8 cm distant, ovoid, somewhat flattened. Leaves: petiole
ca 4 cm long; blade 3714 cm, index (length/width) 2.7
2.8, obovate, acute. Inflorescence a rather dense raceme, ca
58 cm long, 1220-flowered; peduncle ca 50 cm long, erect
to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 7, the longest ca 46 mm
long; rachis arching, 6.57.5 cm long; floral bracts ca 11
5 mm ovate, acuminate. Flowers non-resupinate, not fully
opening, many simultaneously, yellowish green with reddish brown lines, fetid, smelling of fish. Pedicel-with-ovary
ca 35 mm long, basal node on an up to 1 mm long stump,
ovary ribs rounded, straight. Dorsal sepal ca 4811.5 mm,
index 4.14.2, somewhat recurved, ovate, acute, margins
entire, base narrowly attached, rather thick, glabrous.
Lateral sepals 43 11 mm, index ca 3.9, free, oblique,
triangular, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 26
5 mm, index ca 5.2, caudate (cauda ca 14 mm long,
curled), somewhat recurved, elliptic, margins entire, base
broadly attached, rather thick, glabrous. Lip ca 246 mm,
index ca 4 (unflattened), not recurved, ovate, rounded, very
thick; adaxially slightly concave near the base, with 2
distinct, parallel, rounded ridges over most of the length of
the lip, surface glabrous but finely verrucate towards the tip;
abaxially with a wide, retuse median ridge over most of the
length of the lip, surface glabrous. Column ca 9 mm long;
stigma inside with three keels, at its base with a narrow
longitudinal ridge; foot with two small, semi-elliptic,
149
Figure 12. Bulbophyllum ichthyosme. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side. All from Koster
BW 6896 (herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
150
rounded wings laterally near the ligament; stelidia ca 3 mm
long, subulate, acute, with a distinct, somewhat antrorse,
semi-elliptic, rounded tooth along the upper margin, and
with a large, strongly antrorse (so that it runs parallel with
the column) wedge-shaped, distally distinctly verrucose
papillose, very thick, abaxially smooth tooth of ca 2.5
2.5 mm (length measured along the front margin of the
tooth) along the lower margin, about half-way along the
column or below; anther-cap abaxially glabrous, with a low,
rounded crest near the tip, front margin slightly drawn out,
erose.
Habitat and ecology
Found in Fagaceae forest; ca 600 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua (1 specimen seen).
Etymology
The name refers to the fish-like smelling flowers.
Bulbophyllum ichthyosme is similar to Bulbophyllum wakoi
Howcroft, but differs in having a narrower lip, not having
an abaxial crest on the teeth along the lower margin of the
stelidia, and in having distinct wings on the column-foot,
next to the ligament.
Bulbophyllum myodes J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 13)
sepal 25268.59.0 mm, index ca 2.9, more or less
porrect, elliptic to ovate, acuminate, margins entire, base
rather narrowly attached, rather thin, glabrous. Lateral sepals
2729 1314 mm, index ca 2, free, oblique, recurved,
triangular, base broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal
sepal. Petals 1516 57 mm, index 2.23.0, more or less
porrect, elliptic, acuminate, margins entire, base rather
narrowly attached, rather thin, glabrous. Lip 1214 ca
5 mm, index 1.42.4 (unflattened), recurved in the basal
half, ovate, rounded, margins entire, very thick; adaxially
concave near the base, with 2 distinct, parallel, narrow,
obtuse ridges running close to the margins over most of the
length of the lip, top part convex, surface smooth but ridges
proximally papillose and distally with thick, club-shaped
hairs up to 14 mm long; abaxially with a retuse median
ridge up to half of the length of the lip, surface smooth.
Column 4.56 mm long; stigma inside with three keels, at its
base without teeth; foot without tooth just above the
ligament; stelidia 2.02.7 mm long, triangular, acute, with
or without a minute, antrorse, deltoid, subacute tooth along
the upper margin, lower margin with a somewhat antrorse,
(narrowly) triangular, (sub-)acute tooth ca half-way along the
column or slightly below; anther-cap abaxially glabrous and
with a narrow, obtuse crest towards the tip, front margin not
drawn out, entire; pollinia 4, the inner slightly shorter than
the outer and much more flattened, with a fleshy hamulus.
Habitat and ecology
Terrestrial or understory epiphyte in primary and secondary
(old gardens) forest; 15001800 m a.s.l.
Distribution
A Bulbophyllo guttato pedicello et ovario multo breviore
(bractea flore attingenti), ovario distincte papilloso, labello
pilis claviformibus differt.
Indonesia: Papua. Papua New Guinea: Enga Province,
Morobe Province. (3 collections seen).
Type: Papua New Guinea, Enga Province, Porgera District,
Komanga, Reeve 6601 (holotype: L).
Etymology
Roots along the entire rhizome. Rhizome 2.56.0 mm in
diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 11.518 (?30) cm
long, bract fibres somewhat persistent. Pseudobulbs 3.5
8.0 0.40.8 cm, distant, more or less cylindrical. Leaves:
petiole 2.54 cm long; blade 9.5193.06.5 cm, index
(length/width) 1.73.7, elliptic to obovate, acute. Inflorescence 612 cm long, patent, 1-flowered or a 2-flowered
subumbellate raceme; peduncle 3.55.0 cm; non-floriferous
bracts ca 6, the longest 917 mm long; floral bracts 1117
1014 mm, ovate, acute. Flowers resupinate, not fully
opening, sepals and petals yellowish green or green with
reddish purple spots and/or nerves, lip purplish red, yellow
abaxially near the base and sometimes adaxially near the tip,
hairs on lip white, column cream-coloured, foot stained with
some reddish purple. Pedicel-with-ovary 710 mm long,
basal node more or less flush with the surface of the rachis;
ovary densely papillose, ovary ribs rounded, straight. Dorsal
The name refers to the furry appearance of the ovary: ‘mus’
(Greek) mouse.
Bulbophyllum myodes differs from B. guttatum Schltr. in
having a much shorter pedicel-with-ovary (with the floral
bract reaching the flower), a distinctly papillose ovary and
long, club-shaped hairs on the lip.
Bulbophyllum section Lepanthanthe Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Lepanthanthe Schltr. (1913, pp. 704,
875).
Type: Bulbophyllum lepanthiflorum Schltr.
The section is revised in Vermeulen (1993). The following
can be added:
151
Figure 13. Bulbophyllum myodes. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D) lip,
left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: abaxial side, below: adaxial side, (G) pollinia, left
and right: two pairs, middle: a single pair. All from Reeve 6601 (herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given
in mm.
152
Figure 14. Bulbophyllum lagaroglossum. (A) habit, (B) inflorescense, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal,
lip, (D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side,
(G) pollinia, above: a single, below: a pair. All from Yumte 94 (spirit and herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars
are given in mm.
153
Bulbophyllum lepanthiflorum Schltr.
Bulbophyllum lepanthiflorum Schltr. (1913, p. 876).
Lectotype: Schlechter 19190 (B, lost, isotype: E).
The discovery of a syntype specimen at E makes the
neotypification in Vermeulen (1993, p. 77) redundant.
Bulbophyllum lagaroglossum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 14)
A Bulbophyllo lepanthifloro sepalis apiculatis, labello angustiore (indice longitudine/latioride ca 2.7 versus 1.62.0) parte
apicali sursum torta differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 94 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome
up to 110 cm long, 1.82.0 mm in diameter, sections
between pseudobulbs 0.92.0 cm long, pendulous, bracts
persistent, surface finely papillose. Pseudobulbs 0.40.5
0.20.25 cm, distant, shortly cylindrical. Leaves: petiole
0.20.3 cm long; blade 2.43.6 12 cm, index (length/
width) 1.82.4, ovate, acute. Inflorescense clustered, dense
racemes ca 1.6 cm long, ca 5-flowered; peduncle ca 1 cm
long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts ca 3, the longest ca
2.4 mm long; rachis ca 0.3 cm long, porrect; floral bracts
1.82 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers non-resupinate,
probably opening widely, one at the time, sepals and petals
greenish yellow, lip dark purple, column greenish yellow,
anther-cap yellow. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 4 mm long, basal
node on a ca 2.2 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 3.6
2.4 mm, index ca 1.5, spreading, ovate, apiculate, margins
increasingly papillose distally, base broadly attached, rather
thin, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 3.02.2 mm, index
1.31.4, free, obliquely ovate, upper margin glabrous, lower
papillose, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1.3
1.0 mm, index ca 1.3, recurved, ovate, obtuse, margins
finely erosepapillose, base narrowly attached, thin, surface
glabrous. Lip with prominent basal auricles; ca 2.71 mm,
index ca 2.7, recurved proximally and sharply incurved at
about two thirds of its length, ovateoblong, slightly
tapering towards the tip, obtuse, margins densely set with
papillae which grade into large vesicles about half-way along
the lip, thick, surface more or less glabrous but increasingly
papillose towards the margins; adaxially concave near the
base, with three ridges, the low, narrow, rounded median
starting at the base and ending just before reaching half-way
along the length of the lip; the rather high, rounded lateral
ridges starting in front of the auricles, converging until they
meet over the median ridge, then slightly diverging again
and ending at the same level as the median ridge, top part of
the lip only slightly convex; abaxially with a retuse ridge
near the base, otherwise slightly convex, grooved along the
median line. Column ca 0.8 mm long; stigma ovate,
without keels inside, with a rather distinct, rounded callus
154
just below its proximal margin; foot tapering distally;
stelidia ca 0.3 mm long, about triangular, deltoid, acuminate, with a small, antrorse, deltoid, obtuse tooth along the
upper margin, with an antrorse, triangular, acute tooth
along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a narrow
crest proximally, surface finely papillose, front margin
drawn out into a rounded beak; pollinia 2, ovoid, somewhat
flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Rather dense, ca 20 m high primary forest on limestone
bedrock; 450 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the narrow lip.
Bulbophyllum lagaroglossum is similar to B. lepanthiflorum
Schltr. in habit and sepal shape. Bulbophyllum lagaroglossum
differs in having apiculate sepals (with subulate, distinct
appendages in B. lepanthiflorum), and a very narrow lip
(index length/width 1.62 in B. lepanthiflorum) with an
upturned apical part.
Bulbophyllum section Monanthes (Blume)
Aver.
Bulbophyllum section Monanthes (Blume) Averyanov (1994,
p. 279).
Basionym: Diphyes section Monanthes Blume (1825, p.
311).
Type: Diphyes tortuosa Blume [Bulbophyllum tortuosum
(Blume) Lindl.].
See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008) for synonymy.
Bulbophyllum chalcochloron J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 15)
A Bulbophyllo lichenoide sepalo medio ciliato, petalis caudatis
ciliatis, labello pilis brevibus sine apice incrassato differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, locality unknown, cult. Jongejan
1567 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.01.2 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.20.4 cm long, creeping or shortly ascending, bracts not
Figure 15. Bulbophyllum chalcochloron. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: two pairs, below: a single pair. All from cult. Jongejan 1567 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are
given in mm.
155
persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.30.80.30.4 cm, borne
close together, (sub-)erect, ellipsoid to (ob-)ovoid. Leaves:
petiole 0.40.6 cm long; blade 1.83.00.20.32 cm,
index (length/width) 6.712.5, elliptic, acute or apiculate.
Inflorescence 11.012.5 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle
10.011.3 cm long, erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts
ca 2, the longest ca 2.5 mm long; floral bract ca 1.6 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, green,
with reddish purple nerves, margins, and petal tips, column
white. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 1.9 mm long, basal node
coinciding with the bract attachment. Dorsal sepal ca 6
1.5 mm, index ca 4, recurved, ovate, acute, margins finely
and densely ciliate, base broadly attached, thin, surface
glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 6.0 1.2 mm, index ca 5, fused
along their lower margins, margins entire, otherwise as the
dorsal sepal. Petals ca 6.0 1.2 mm, index ca 5, porrect,
elliptic excluding the top part, the caudate top 2.7 mm
long, margins finely and densely ciliate, the cauda ciliolate,
base narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous but cauda
finely shortly-hairy. Lip ca 1.8 1.0 mm, index ca 1.8,
recurved about half-way, general outline obovate with a
small but distinct constriction about half-way, rounded,
margins with one pair of retrorse, ovate, obtuse auricles
close to the ligament, beyond these the lip margins erect
and entire, but half-way the lip abruptly folded backwards
and with long, baculiform papillae, rather thin, surface
glabrous; adaxially concave proximally, with a transverse
median callus just above the base, convex distally with two
distinct folds near the top, on either side of the median line,
creating a distinct, broadly rounded apical callus; abaxially
without a median ridge, convex proximally, concave and
with a deep median furrow distally. Column ca 1.2 mm
long; stigma subrectangular, without keels inside; foot not
or hardly widened; stelidia ca 0.8 mm long, narrowly
triangular, subacute, with a slight, obtuse edge along the
upper margin; anther-cap abaxially with a large, dorsiventrally flattened crest overtopping the front margin, surface
papillose, front margin drawn out into a broadly rounded,
thin beak; pollinia 4, obovoid, the inner about half as long
as the outer, distinctly flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea. Locality unknown.
Etymology
The name refers to the unusual green colour of the flowers:
‘chalcos’ (Greek) copper, and ‘chloros’ (Greek) green.
The only other species in section Monanthes with a lump at
the tip of the lip is B. lichenoides Schltr. Bulbophyllum
chalcochloron differs in having a ciliate dorsal sepal, caudate
and ciliate petals, and a lip with short hairs without a
swollen tip. It is also a much larger plant.
156
Bulbophyllum fibristectum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 16)
A Bulbophyllo sectione Monanthes propter fibros copiose circum
rhizomatem et pseudobulborum basim, labello obovato crasso
differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands Province,
Lufa District, Lufa area, 8 km from Hogave, cult. Jongejan
3081 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.01.2 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
1.01.4 cm long, creeping downwards along the substrate,
bracts persistent as long fibres thickly covering the rhizome
and pseudobulbs. Pseudobulbs 0.32.1 0.41.1 cm,
borne close together, more or less porrect, ellipsoid to
ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.20.4 cm long; blade 8.312.0
1.41.7 cm, index (length/width) 4.88.6, elliptic to ovate,
acute. Inflorescence ca 1 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca
0.18 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts ca 2, the
longest ca 1.6 mm long; floral bract ca 2.2 mm long,
tubular, apiculate. Flowers little opening, cream-coloured,
lip yellow, with white hairs. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 3.5 mm
long, basal node coinciding with the bract attachment.
Dorsal sepal ca 5.5 2.2 mm, index ca 2.5, porrect, elliptic,
acute, margins entire, base broadly attached, thick, adaxial
surface finely papillose distally, abaxial surface glabrous.
Lateral sepals ca 4.8 3.2 mm, index ca 1.5, fused along
their lower margins, ovate, margins entire, surface finely
papillose distally, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca
2.8 1.0 mm, index ca 2.8, porrect, obovateoblong,
emarginate, margins finely papillose distally, rather broadly
attached, rather thick and thicker distally, surface finely
papillose distally. Lip ca 2.31.5 mm, index 1.51.6,
recurved about half-way, general outline obovate, rounded,
margins with one pair of retrorse, ovate, obtuse auricles
close to the ligament, beyond these the lip margins
increasingly coarsely papillose and with scattered long hairs,
thick; adaxially deeply concave proximally, with a transverse
ledge just above the base, with two rather high, obtuse
ridges starting near the base, close to the margin and
converging a little only at two thirds of the length of the lip,
then diverging and grading into the distally convex lip
surface, surface locally papillose proximally, densely papillose and with the papillae partly fused to irregular transverse
bands and with scattered long hairs distally; abaxially widely
convex and with a shallow median furrow, surface papillose
and with scattered long hairs towards the margins. Column
ca 1.5 mm long; stigma triangular, without keels inside,
with a inconspicuous, rounded callus well below its
proximal margin; foot hardly widened, with an angular
transverse ridge just above the ligament; stelidia ca 1 mm
long, upwards falcate, narrowly triangular, acute, with a
slight, obtuse edge along the upper margin, with two similar
edges along the lower; anther-cap abaxially with a large,
dorsiventrally flattened crest overtopping the front margin,
surface papillose, front margin not drawn out; pollinia 4,
ovoid, the inner about as long as the outer, slightly more
flattened; no appendages.
Figure 16. Bulbophyllum fibristectum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: two pairs, below: a single pair. All from cult. Jongejan 3081 (spirit material, photographs). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All
scale bars are given in mm.
157
Figure 17. Bulbophyllum odontostigma. (A) habit, (B) inflorescense, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal,
lip, (D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) hairs along the lip margin. All from Yumte 200 (spirit
material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
158
Habitat and ecology
Forest on ridge; 2000 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands Province.
base, adaxial surface otherwise glabrous; abaxially convex near the base, elsewhere slightly concave, surface
glabrous but with scattered, distally thickened hairs
towards the margins. Column ca 0.9 mm long; stigma
rectangular, without keels inside, with a distinct, rounded
tooth along its proximal margin; foot not widened; stelidia
ca 0.5 mm long, triangular, acute, with a distinct, antrorse,
acute tooth the upper margin; anther-cap and pollinia not
seen.
Etymology
The name refers to the fibre-covered rhizome.
Bulbophyllum fibristectum is distinct within Section Monanthes because of the fibres copiously present around the
rhizome and the base of the pseudobulbs, and the thick,
obovate lip. The flowers sit deeply among the fibres, and are
often almost covered by them.
Habitat and ecology
Ridge-top primary forest ca 10 m high, with dense undergrowth, on limestone bedrock; 600 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Bulbophyllum odontostigma J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 17)
A Bulbophyllo xanthote floribus multo minoribus (sepalis ca
6.5 mm longis versis ca 17 mm longis), labello pilis minute
clavatis differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 200 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome ca
1 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 0.2
0.4 cm long, short-creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.50.70.30.4 cm, borne close together, obliquely
erect, ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.20.3 cm long; blade 1.9
3.0 1.01.3 cm, index (length/width) 1.62.5, elliptic to
obovate, acute-acuminate. Inflorescence ca 3 cm long, 1flowered; peduncle ca 2.3 cm long, erect; non-floriferous
bracts ca 2, the longest ca 3.2 mm long; floral bract ca
2.2 mm long, tubular, acuminate. Flowers moderately
opening, dark maroon, all parts cream-coloured at the
base, column and anther-cap cream-coloured. Pedicel-withovary ca 2 mm long, basal node coinciding with the bract
attachment. Dorsal sepal ca 6.5 2.0 mm, index 3.23.3,
somewhat recurved, ovate, acute, margins sparsely ciliolate,
base broadly attached, rather thick, surface glabrous. Lateral
sepals ca 6.31.5 mm, index ca 4.2, fused along their
lower margins, margins with a few scattered ciliolae,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 2.2 1.2 mm, index
ca 1.8, porrect, ovate, acute, margins densely ciliolate,
narrowly attached, rather thick, surface densely shortlyhairy. Lip ca 4.5 0.8 mm, index ca 5.6, somewhat
recurved near the base, general outline ovate, subacute,
margins with one pair of retrorse, ovate, obtuse auricles
close to the ligament, beyond these the lip margins ciliate
with the hairs slightly thickened distally, thick; adaxially
slightly concave proximally, with a rather high, flat,
glabrous median ridge from base to tip, and two very
short, rounded, papillose ridges clasping this near the
Etymology
The name refers to the tooth at the base of the stigma.
Bulbophyllum xanthotes Schltr. and B. endotrachys Schltr. are
the most similar species to B. odontostigma. It differs from
the first in having much smaller flowers (sepals about
17 mm long in B. xanthotes) and minutely clavate hairs on
the lip; it differs from the second in having shorter and
wider, glabrous petals.
Bulbophyllum ptychostigma J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 18)
A Bulbophyllo dichilo et B. eciliato bractea pedicello cum
ovario multo longiore, a priori sine labelli basi callo distincto,
a posteriori labello non constricto in parte dimidia distali
differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 76 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.52.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.350.40 cm long, short-creeping, bracts not persistent.
Pseudobulbs 0.81.00.350.50 cm, borne close together,
obliquely erect, ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.250.40 cm long;
blade 7.59.5 1.31.5 cm, index (length/width) 5.76.4,
elliptic, acute. Inflorescence ca 1.3 cm long, 1-flowered;
peduncle ca 0.55 cm long, erect; non-floriferous bracts ca 2,
the longest ca 7 mm long; floral bract ca 6.5 mm long,
tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, sepals creamywhite proximally, the dorsal wine-red distally, column
creamy-white. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 2 mm long, basal
node coinciding with the bract attachment. Dorsal sepal
ca 5.02.3 mm, index 2.12.2, porrect or somewhat
recurved, triangular, acute, margins entire, base broadly
attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 5.3
159
Figure 18. Bulbophyllum ptychostigma. (A) habit, (B) inflorescense, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal,
lip, (D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side,
(G) pollinia, above: two pairs, below: a single pair. All from Yumte 76 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given
in mm.
160
2.0 mm, index 2.62.7, fused along their lower margins,
obliquely ovate, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca
1.5 0.9 mm, index 1.61.7, porrect, more or less elliptic,
acuminate, margins erose distally, base broadly attached,
rather thick, surface glabrous. Lip ca 2.6 0.9 mm, index
ca 2.9, somewhat recurved for two fifths of its length,
general outline ovate, obtuse, margins with one pair of
retrorse, slightly inwards falcate, triangular, obtuse auricles
close to the ligament, beyond these the lip margins sparsely,
finely and shortly ciliolate, particularly in the proximal half
and near the tip, rather thick, surface glabrous; adaxially
slightly concave in the proximal half, convex distally,
abaxially convex near the base, elsewhere concave. Column
ca 1 mm long; stigma elliptic, with 6 folds inside, with a
conical, obtuse tooth well below its proximal margin; foot
hardly widened; stelidia ca 0.6 mm long, narrowly triangular, acute; anther-cap abaxially with a large, rounded crest
near the base, surface papillose, front margin drawn out into
a truncate beak; pollinia 4, the outer ovoid, the inner
slightly less than half as long as the outer, obovoid, slightly
more flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in high primary forest with sparse undergrowth,
on white sand; 450 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the folds present in the stigmatic
opening.
Bulbophyllum ptychostigma is most similar to B. dichilus
Schltr. and B. eciliatum Schltr. B. ptychostigma differs in
having a floral bract much longer than the pedicel-withovary together. It also differs from B. dichilus in not having
a distinct callus at the base of the lip, and from
B. eciliatum in having a lip which is not constricted in
the distal half.
Bulbophyllum stemonochilum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 19)
0.4 cm, porrect, distant, cylindrical or slightly obovoid, the
new shoot arising 2.02.5 mm from the top of the
pseudobulb. Leaves sessile, blade 1.82.6 0.61.1 cm,
index (length/width) 2.33.0, ovate, acute (-acuminate).
Inflorescence ca 0.7 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca 0.3 cm
long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest ca 3.5 mm
long; floral bract ca 2.8 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers
moderately opening, sepals maroon, laterals with a creamywhite bifurcate spot in the basal half, dorsal creamy-white,
with a purple spot at the base, petals creamy-white, with a
purple spot at the base, lip maroon, creamy-white at the base,
column and anther-cap creamy-white. Pedicel-with-ovary ca
1.2 mm long, basal node coinciding with the bract attachment. Dorsal sepal ca 4.82.2 mm, index ca 2.2, somewhat
recurved, obovate, apiculate, margins ciliolate, base rather
broadly attached, rather thin, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals
ca 4.42.1 mm, index ca 2.1, fused, together porrect,
concave with distally incurved margins, each obovate, obtuse,
upper margin ciliolate, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca
1.3 0.8 mm, index ca 1.6, porrect, triangular, truncate to
emarginate, apiculate, margins entire, base broadly attached,
thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 2.70.2 mm, index 1.31.4,
more or less straight, but somewhat curved near the tip,
linear, wire-like, obtuse, margins ciliate in the middle third,
minutely papilloseciliolate in the distal third, rather thick;
adaxially flat near the base, with a transverse, conical, obtuse,
transversely emarginate median tooth at about one sixth of its
length, elsewhere somewhat convex and slightly furrowed,
surface minutely ciliolate in the proximal half, minutely
papilloseciliolate in the distal half; abaxially slightly convex
with a median furrow over its entire length, surface glabrous
but distal third minutely papillose. Column ca 1 mm long;
stigma large, ovate, without keels inside; foot not widened
but with a slight transverse thickening just above the
ligament; stelidia ca 0.5 mm long, porrect, triangular, acute,
with a slight, deltoid, obtuse tooth along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially with a high, rounded crest, surface
papillose, front margin drawn out into a truncate beak;
pollinia 4, more or less ellipsoid, the inner less than half as
long as the outer, flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in montane riverine forest ca 30 m high on level
land, with the locally gregarious emergent Pandanus; 1900
2100 m a.s.l.
Distribution
A Bulbophyllo bisepalo et B. stenochilo sepalis ciliolatis, petalis
truncatis ad emarginatis apiculatis, labello marginibus ciliatis
in parte media tertia solum differt.
Papua New Guinea. Central Province.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
Mount Alio, Hort. LEI 20031028 (holotype: L).
Etymology
The name refers to the thread-thin lip.
Roots below the pseudobulbs, (at least some) spreading.
Rhizome up to 20 cm long, 2.02.5 mm in diameter,
sections between pseudobulbs 0.2.00.45 cm long, pendulous, bracts rather persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.71.6 0.3
Bulbophyllum stemonochilum is most similar to B. bisepalum
Schltr. and B. stenochilum Schltr. in having a narrow, linear
lip. It differs, however, in having ciliolate (not glabrous)
sepals, truncate to emarginate, apiculate (not acuminate)
161
Figure 19. Bulbophyllum stemonochilum. (A) habit, (B) inflorescense, (C) flower analysis, upper row from left to right: dorsal sepal,
adaxial side and abaxial side, lateral sepals; lower row from left to right: lip, abaxial side, oblique view, side view, petal, (D) column and
lip, lateral view, (E) column, 2 frontal view, (F) anther cap, (G) pollinia, a single pair, adaxial side, abaxial side, lateral view. All from
Hort. LEI 20031028 (spirit material). Drawn by A. Walsmit Sachs. All scale bars are given in mm.
162
Figure 20. Bulbophyllum argoxanthum. (A) habit, (B) part of inflorescence, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal,
lateral sepal, lip, (D) lip, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: abaxial side, below:
adaxial side, (G) pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 20030126 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J.
Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
163
petals, and a lip with ciliate margins only in the middle
third.
long, deltoid, acute; anther-cap abaxially colliculate, with a
widely rounded crest overtopping the front margin, front
margin not drawn out, entire; pollinia 4, ellipsoid, the inner
about as long as the outer, much flattened; no appendages.
Bulbophyllum section Pelma (Finet) Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Pelma (Finet) Schltr. (1913, pp. 703,
855).
Habitat and ecology
Type: Bulbophyllum absconditum J. J. Sm.
Montane forest ca 25 m high, on a steep slope, with
scattered Araucaria trees; alt. unknown.
The section is revised in Vermeulen (1993). The following
can be added:
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
Bulbophyllum argoxanthum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 20)
A Bulbophyllo fractiflexo sepalis petalisque rotundatis glabris
brevioribus latioribus, sepali medii indice longitudine/latitudine ca 1.5 (versus 2.211.4), stelidiis acutis differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
Hort. LEI 20030126 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome
4.55.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
3.04.5 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts persistent.
Pseudobulbs 2.83.20.60.8 cm, distant, ellipsoid.
Leaves: petiole ca 0.3 cm long; blade ovate, 9.410.2
3.13.4 cm, index (length/width) 2.73.3, acute. Inflorescence 1.83.0 cm, porrect, a distichous, dense 69-flowered
raceme; peduncle 1.01.2 cm; non-floriferous bracts ca 3,
the longest ca 4.5 mm long; rachis 1.62.0 cm long; floral
bracts ca 3.5 mm long, acuminate. Flowers non-resupinate,
not fully opening, many simultaneously, sepals and petals
greenish yellow, lip pale orange, underside creamy-yellow at
the base, column and anther-cap cream-coloured, unscented. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 23 mm long, basal node
on a 57 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 4.02.7 mm,
index ca 1.5, recurved, ovateelliptic, rounded, margins
entire, base rather broadly attached, thin, glabrous. Lateral
sepals 3.8 2.2 mm, index ca 1.7, free, oblique, ovate,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 2.6 1.6 mm, index
ca 1.6, recurved, obovate, rounded, margins entire, base
rather narrowly attached, thin, glabrous. Lip ca 2.0
1.5 mm, index ca 1.3 (unflattened), recurved about halfway, elliptic, rounded, thick, surface glabrous; adaxially
with a deep basal cavity, in front delimited by two
converging teeth which together form a transverse ridge
with a slit half-way, with two more inconspicuous, obtuse
ridges starting near the base, at the margins, and converging
up to half-way along the lip, area in between concave,
elsewhere convex; abaxially with a wide, truncate median
ridge proximally, elsewhere slightly concave. Column ca
0.8 mm long; stigma elliptic, inside without keels, proximally protruding; foot with a distinct, conical, obtuse
median tooth just above the ligament; stelidia ca 0.3 mm
164
Etymology
The name refers to the colour of the flowers: ‘argos’ (Greek)
snow, and ‘xanthos’ (Greek) yellow.
Bulbophyllum argoxanthum keys out with B. fractiflexum J. J.
Sm. in Vermeulen (1993). It differs, however, in having
rounded, glabrous, shorter and wider sepals and petals
(dorsal sepal index length/width 2.211.4 in B. fractiflexum)
and acute stelidia.
Bulbophyllum bacilliferum J. J. Sm.
Bulbophyllum bacilliferum J. J. Sm. (1928, p. 155).
Type: Ceram, Rutten 2239 (holotype: L; isotype: BO).
Taxonomic synonym: Bulbophyllum melanoxanthum J. J.
Verm. (1993, p. 135).
Type: Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, Craven &
Schodde 137 (holotype: CANB; isotypes: L, LAE).
The minor differences distinguishing B. melanoxanthum
from B. bacilliferum were supported by a strictly allopatric
occurrence: B. bacilliferum on Ceram, and B. melanoxanthum in eastern Papua New Guinea and the Solomon
Islands. With Tissing 4 (L), from Indonesia, Papua, Star
Mountains, making this gap considerably smaller, it appears
better to unite the two species.
Bulbophyllum section Peltopus Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Peltopus Schltr. (1913, pp. 700, 760);
Vermeulen (1993, p. 145).
Type: Bulbophyllum peltopus Schltr.
The section is revised in Vermeulen (1993). The following
can be added:
Bulbophyllum algidum Ridl.
Bulbophyllum algidum Ridl. (1916, p. 181); van Royen
(1979, p. 165).
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Boden Kloss s. n., Camp XIII
XIV, 31 Jan 1913 (holotype: BM).
Taxonomic synonym: Bulbophyllum systenochilum J. J.
Verm. (1993, p. 174).
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Brass 9110 (holotype: AMES).
Van Royen’s (1979) description and illustration are misleading in the outline of the lip and in particular the shape
of the petals: a presumably artificial incision in the lower
margins of the column of the only flower on the type
specimen has left two acute, triangular lobes which he
interpreted as petals. This, and his erroneous inclusion of
the species in section Coelochilus has caused the superfluous
description of B. systenochilum.
Bulbophyllum section Polymeres (Blume)
J. J. Verm. and P. O’Byrne
Bulbophyllum section Polymeres (Blume). J. J. Verm. and
O’Byrne (2008).
Basionym: Diphyes section Polymeres Blume (1825, p. 316).
Lectotype: Diphyes tenuifolia Blume [Bulbophyllum tenuifolium (Blume) Lindl.] (designated by J. J. Vermeulen
and O’Byrne 2008).
Taxonomic synonyms: Bulbophyllum section Leptopus
Schltr. (1913, pp. 702, 828); van Royen (1979, p. 223).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum leptopus Schltr. (designated by van
Royen 1979).
Bulbophyllum section Fruticicola Schltr. (1913, pp. 702,
833); van Royen (1979, p. 227).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum fruticicola Schltr. (designated by
van Royen 1979).
Bulbophyllum section Epibulbon Schltr. (1913, pp. 703,
845).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum epibulbon Schltr. (designated
here).
Bulbophyllum section Megaloglossum Carr (1933, p. 90).
Type: Bulbophyllum brastagiense Carr (B. crepidiferum J.
J. Sm.).
Bulbophyllum section Elassoglossum Rysy (2007, p. 286).
Type: Bulbophyllum elassoglossum Siegerist.
See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008) for further synonymy
and comments; in Vermeulen (1991) as section Leptopus
Schltr.
According to Rysy (2007), his section Elassoglossum
includes species which share a markedly ephemeral flowering habit, the flowers opening for a single morning only.
Otherwise, the species included in the section do not share
any distinguishing character from those included in Carr’s
section Megaloglossum, now within section Polymeres.
Ephemeral flowers are a fairly common feature in this
group, some open a few hours only during the morning, for
one or two days (e.g. B. quadrangulare J. J. Sm.), others stay
permanently open for a few days (e.g. B. zebrinum J. J.
Sm.). Section Elassoglossum is here synonymised with
section Polymeres; the species can be grouped together
with those of Group c, corresponding to Carr’s section
Megaloglossum (Vermeulen and O’Byrne 2008), such as B.
tenuifolium (Blume) Lindl., B. tectipetalum J. J. Sm. and B.
leptobulbon J. J. Verm. and the two mentioned above.
Group c. See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008). Species with
a creeping rhizome, clustered or distant pseudobulbs of
substantial size, and inflorescences approximately as long as,
or longer than the vegetative shoot they arise from. The
group agrees with Carr’s section Megaloglossum (Vermeulen
and O’Byrne 2008).
Bulbophyllum luteum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 21)
A Bulbophyllo spisso petalis ovatis (necnon cuneatis), labelli
parte abaxiali distincte papillosa differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 213 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
creeping, 34 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 0.50.6 cm long, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs
1.11.8 0.70.9 cm, borne close together, erect, ovoid.
Leaves: petiole 0.71.0 cm long; blade 4.56.3 1.0
1.4 cm, index (length/width) 3.26.3, elliptic, subacute.
Inflorescence 4.56.0 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle 3.2
4.5 cm long, erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 4,
the longest 3.55.0 mm long; floral bract ca 4.5 mm long,
tubular, acute. Flowers fully opening, sepals and petals
greenish yellow, lip yellow, column and anther-cap greenish yellow. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 12 mm long, basal node
on a ca 2 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 93 mm,
index ca 3, more or less porrect, ovate, acuteacuminate,
margins finely erosepapillose, base rather broadly attached, rather thick,but thin towards the margins, surface
glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 10 3 mm, index 3.33.4, free,
recurved, obliquely triangular, upper margin somewhat
finely erose, lower entire, base broadly attached, otherwise
as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 42 mm, index ca 2, porrect,
ovate with the margins folded outwards proximally, obtuse,
margins finely papillose distally, thin, surface adaxially
finely papillose towards the margins, abaxially glabrous.
Lip ca 2.61.2 mm, index ca 2.2 (unflattened), recurved,
oblong, rounded, margins with two inwards folded, ovate,
rounded auricles near the ligament, elsewhere papillose but
165
Figure 21. Bulbophyllum luteum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal (above: adaxial side,
below: abaxial side), lateral sepal, lip, (D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above:
adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (G) pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Yumte 213 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J.
Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
166
not so near top and base, very thick; adaxially concave
except near the convex top, with two distinct ridges
starting near the base, at the margins, and running up,
close to the margin, to the convex top part of the lip,
adaxial surface glabrous; abaxially with a deeply retuse
median ridge up to three quarters of the length of the lip,
surface papillose but less distinctly so near the base and the
tip. Column ca 1.5 mm long; stigma sub-triangular,
without keels inside; foot widened, with small, rounded
lateral teeth just above the ligament; stelidia ca 0.8 mm
long, triangular, acute; anther-cap abaxially with a large,
rounded crest over almost its entire length, surface finely
papillose, front margin drawn out, widely rounded,
papillose; pollinia 4, obovoid, the inner as long as the
outer, rather flat; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Dense primary ridge-top forest, about 10 m high, on
limestone bedrock; alt. unknown.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 20 5 mm, index ca 4, reflexed,
ovate, acute, margins slightly erose, thinly but densely ciliate,
base rather narrowly attached, thin, adaxial surface hirsute,
abaxial surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 216.5 mm,
index 3.23.3, free, spreading, ovatetriangular, upper
margin entire, lower margin somewhat folded inwards and
strongly undulating, densely ciliate, otherwise as the dorsal
sepal. Petals ca 4.2 2.6 mm, index ca 1.6, porrect,
obliquely ovate with the upper margin widely expanded
proximally, rounded, margins finely papillose proximally
and near the tip, base rather broadly attached, very thin,
surface about glabrous. Lip consisting of an oblong basal part
ca 2.5 2.2 mm, index 1.11.2, and a linear or slightly
spathulate top part ca 8 0.9 mm, index ca 8.9 (all
unflattened); recurved near the base, obtuse, margins entire,
surface largely glabrous; basal part adaxially concave,
furrowed, with a median slit bordered by two thin,
proximally highest and slightly papillose ridges, abaxially
shallowly furrowed; top part more or less flat on both sides.
Column ca 2 mm long; stigma subtriangular, without keels
inside, with a slight swelling just below its base; foot widened,
with distinct, rounded lateral teeth just above the ligament;
stelidia ca 1.2 mm long, triangular, acute, with a minute,
deltoid tooth along the upper margin and a slight widening
along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a large,
flattened crest overtopping the front margin, surface finely
papillose, front margin not drawn out; pollinia 4, ellipsoid,
the inner as long as the outer, all slightly flattened; no
appendages.
The name refers to the yellow flowers.
Bulbophyllum luteum is most closely allied to B. spissum J. J.
Verm. from Peninsular Malaysia and Sulawesi. It differs in
having ovate (not wedge-shaped) petals and a distinctly
papillose abaxial side to the lip.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte on a small tree near a steam; 920 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Bulbophyllum sannio J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 22)
Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province.
A Bulbophyllo maxillare sepalis lateralibus acutis margine
inferiore undulato dense ciliato differt.
Etymology
Type: Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Province, Agaun,
cult. Jongejan 1028 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
34 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 1.5
3.0 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs
1.82.5 0.81.2 cm, distant, erect, ovoid. Leaves: petiole
1.01.2 cm long; blade 7.58.5 1.31.5 cm, index
(length/width) 5.65.8, elliptic, obtuse. Inflorescence 11.5
13.0 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle 89 cm long, erect to
patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 3, the longest 4.04.8 mm
long; floral bract ca 5.5 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers
fully opening, dorsal sepal whitish with thick reddish purple
nerves, all hairs white, lateral sepals reddish purple, hairs
white, petals translucent, top part with small blackish purple
spots, lip reddish purple, yellowish near the base, with small,
darker purple spots towards the margins of the basal part.
Pedicel-with-ovary ca 30 mm long, basal node on a ca 3 mm
‘Sannio’ a buffoon, a clown, the flowers seem to show off a
fur-lined king’s mantle.
Bulbophyllum sannio is most similar to B. maxillare (Lindl.)
Rchb. f., but immediately recognizable by the undulating,
densely ciliate lower margins of the lateral sepals, with an
acute tip (not caudate and long-drawn out with swollen tips
as in B. maxillare).
Bulbophyllum sphaenopus J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 23)
A Bulbophyllo maxillari et B. sannionis sepalo medio sparse
ciliolato (minus distinctissimo ciliatis speciebus ceteris) sepalis
lateralibus acutis marginibus inferioribus sparse ciliatis solum
differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 116 (holotype: L).
167
Figure 22. Bulbophyllum sannio. (A) habit, (B) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (C) lip, left: adaxial
side, right: abaxial side, (D) column and lip, side view, (E) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (F) pollinia, above: a single
pair, below: two pairs. All from cult. Jongejan 1028 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
168
Figure 23. Bulbophyllum sphaenopus. (A) habit, (B) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (C) petal, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (G) pollinia,
left: two pairs, right: a single pair. All from Yumte 116 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
169
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
3.54.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
2.62.8 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 2.03.7 0.71.1 cm, distant, erect, ovoid. Leaves:
petiole 0.50.6 cm long; blade 4.76.31.31.6 cm, index
(length/width) 3.64, elliptic to ovate, acute. Inflorescence
ca 20 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle 9.512 cm long, erect
to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 4, the longest ca 6 mm
long; floral bract ca 7 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers (?)
fully opening, entirely dark maroon. Pedicel-and-ovary ca
53 mm long, basal node on a ca 4 mm long stump. Dorsal
sepal ca 477.5 mm, index 6.26.3, ovate, acute, margins
sparsely ciliolate, base narrowly attached, rather thin,
adaxial surface shortly hairy. Lateral sepals ca 507 mm,
index 7.17.2, free, oblique, ovatetriangular, upper margin
entire, lower margin sparsely ciliolate, base rather narrowly
attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 4.5
2.0 mm, index 2.22.3, porrect, obliquely ovate with the
upper margin widely expanded in the proximal half, obtuse,
finely papillose half-way along the upper margin, near the
tip and along the lower margin, base rather broadly
attached, very thin, surface more or less glabrous. Lip ca
14 2.5 mm, index ca 5.6, recurved near the base, with a
triangular ca 3.02.5 mm basal part, grading into a linear
top part of ca 1 mm wide, obtuse, margins glabrous, rather
thick, surface glabrous; adaxially deeply concave near the
base, with two rather high, obtuse ridges starting near the
base and converging until they almost meet at two thirds of
the length of the basal part, basal part otherwise convex, top
part slightly convex to flat; abaxially convex near the base,
slightly concave elsewhere. Column ca 2 mm long; stigma
subtriangular, without keels inside, with a distinct callus
well below its base which runs down the face of the columnfoot as two separate ridges; foot distinctly widened, with
distinct, triangular, obtuse lateral teeth just above the
ligament; stelidia ca 0.9 mm long, triangular; anther-cap
abaxially with a large, flattened crest overtopping the front
margin, surface finely papillose, front margin not drawn
out; pollinia 4, ellipsoid, the inner as long as the outer, all
slightly flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Open and mossy ridge-top forest ca 5 m high, on limestone
bedrock; 600 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the wedge-shaped column foot.
Bulbophyllum sphaenopus shares the general shape of the lip
with B. maxillare (Lindl.) Rchb. f. and B. sannio J. J. Verm.,
but differs from both in having a sparsely ciliolate dorsal
sepal (much less distinctly ciliate than in both other
species), and in having acute lateral sepals with straight,
only sparsely ciliate lower margins (caudate with thickened
170
tips in B. maxillare, undulating and densely ciliate in B.
sannio).
Bulbophyllum staetophyton J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 24)
A Bulbophyllo sectione Polymeres rhizomate repenti, foliis
teretis, sepalis tenuissimis differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Boridi, Carr
10254 (holotype: L; isotypes: AMES, LAE,NY).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome ca
3 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 0.4
0.6 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs
0.91.7 0.40.6 cm, borne close together, erect, ovoid
cylindrical. Leaves: petiole 0.50.7 cm long; blade 4.0
5.5 0.50.6 cm, index (length/width) 3.64.0, subterete
with a shallow groove adaxially, in outline ellipticoblong,
obtuse. Inflorescence 810 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle
6.07.5 cm long, erect to patent; non-floriferous bracts ca
2, the longest ca 4.5 mm long; floral bract 45 mm long,
tubular, acute. Flowers fully opening, sepals creamy-white,
tip yellowish brown, proximal quarter with purple spots
along the nerves, petals white with a crimson mid-nerve and
margins, and a crimson tip, lip crimson, column greenish,
foot suffused with crimson. Pedicel-with-ovary 1517 mm
long, basal node on a 34 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal
4455 ca 2.8 mm, index 1520, triangular, acute, margins ciliolate, base broadly attached, rather thin, surface
glabrous. Lateral sepals 4957 ca 7 mm, index 7.08.1,
free, oblique, upper margin with a few ciliolae only, adaxial
surface shortly-hairy except near the base and the tip,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 21.9 mm, index
11.1, porrect, triangular with the upper and lower margin
widely expanded in the proximal third, obtuse, margins
slightly erose proximally, base rather broadly attached,
rather thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 6.81.5 mm at the
base, index ca 4.5, elsewhere ca 1.2 mm wide, recurved near
the base, oblong with a widened base, obtuse, margins
entire, rather thick; adaxially concave near the base, more or
less flat or slightly convex elsewhere, surface glabous;
abaxially convex near the base, slightly concave elsewhere,
surface glabrous but with a tuft of rod-shaped papillae of up
to 0.8 mm long near the ligament. Column ca 1.7 mm
long; stigma subtriangular, without keels inside, with a
distinct, papillose callus just below its base; foot distinctly
widened, with distinct, triangular, obtuse lateral teeth just
above the ligament; stelidia ca 0.9 mm long, triangular;
anther-cap abaxially with a flattened crest overtopping the
front margin, surface finely papillose, front margin not
drawn out; pollinia 4, ellipsoid, the inner slightly shorter
than the outer, all slightly flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in lower montane forest; 15001600 m a.s.l.
Figure 24. Bulbophyllum staetophyton. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (G) pollinia,
left: two pairs, right: a single pair. (A) from Carr 10254, (B)(G) from Reeve 746 (herbarium material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All
scale bars are given in mm.
171
Figure 25. Bulbophyllum zygochilum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 950220 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are
given in mm.
172
Figure 26. Bulbophyllum atroviride. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, lateral sepal, petal, (D)
column and lip, left: lateral view, right: adaxial side, (E) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, middle: lateral view, right: adaxial side, (F) pollinia,
left: two pairs, middle and right: a single pair. All from Hort. LEI 20031539 (living plant, spirit material). Drawn by Kinue Sato. All scale
bars are given in mm.
173
Figure 27. Bulbophyllum planiplexum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from cult. Jongejan 1688 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars
are given in mm.
174
Figure 28. Bulbophyllum tricaudatum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side. All from
cult. Jongejan 3205 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
175
Figure 29. Bulbophyllum chrysanthum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: a single pair, below: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 20030151 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars
are given in mm.
176
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province, Southern Highlands
Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the thick-set vegetative parts of the
species.
Bulbophyllum staetophyton is well characterized within the
section by the combination of the creeping rhizome, terete
leaves and the very slender sepals.
partly finely papillose and with longer papillae and hairs
near the margins; abaxially with a deeply retuse median
ridge up to half of the length of the lip, surface papillose but
with two patches of longer hairs about half-way along the
length of the lip. Column ca 1.5 mm long; stigma elliptic,
without keels inside, with a slight swelling well below its
base; foot widened, with distinct, rounded lateral teeth just
above the ligament; stelidia ca 0.7 mm long, triangular,
acute, with a slight widening along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially with a large, rounded crest over almost
its entire length, surface finely papillose, front margin
drawn out, widely rounded, papillose; pollinia 4, obovoid,
the inner as long as the outer, flat; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Bulbophyllum zygochilum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 25)
A Bulbophyllo maxillari sepalis lateralibus ciliatis margine
inferiore versus seriee verrucis minutis, labelli apice sine
appendice differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Hort LEI 950220 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.52.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.51.5 cm long, creeping or somewhat straggling at some
distance from the substrate, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.02.3 0.50.7 cm, distant to rather close together, (obliquely) erect, ovoid. Leaves: petiole 0.20.5 cm
long; blade 3.04.7 0.851.1 cm, index (length/width)
3.54.3, ovate, acute-apiculate. Inflorescence 2022 cm
long, 1-flowered; peduncle 1618 cm long, erect to patent;
non-floriferous bracts ca 4, the longest ca 2 mm long; floral
bract ca 2.8 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers fully opening,
sepals wine-red, the dorsal yellowish towards the margins,
the laterals with a yellowish row of verrucae close to the
lower margin, petals wine-red with blackish hairs, lip winered. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 9 mm long, basal node on a ca
2 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 27 4 mm, index 6.7
6.8, reflexed, ovate, caudate, margins finely erose, thinly but
densely ciliate, base narrowly attached, rather thin, adaxial
surface glabrous, abaxial surface sparsely papillose to
shortly-hairy. Lateral sepals ca 40 5.5 mm, index ca 7.2,
free, recurved to spreading, obliquely ovate, caudate with
gradually thickened tips, upper margin shortly but rather
densely ciliate, lower margin densely ciliate, adaxial surface
with a narrow strip of densely placed, minute, irregularly
shaped verrucae close to the lower margin, otherwise as the
dorsal sepal. Petals ca 6 2.5 mm, index ca 2.4, porrect,
triangular, acuminate, margins papilloseciliolate proximally, ciliate distally, base narrowly attached, rather thin,
surface shortly-hairly distally. Lip ca 1.31 mm, index ca
1.3 (unflattened), recurved, oblong, rounded, margins
entire, with long, straight, thick hairs except near the
base, thick; adaxially concave near the base, with two
distinct ridges starting near the base, close to the margins,
and running up, while slightly converging and then
diverging, to close to the tip of the lip, adaxial surface
Epiphyte in primary forest; 450500 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula (1
specimen seen).
Etymology
The name refers to the shape of the lip, in lateral view
looking like a pivot: ‘zugos’ (Greek) yoke.
Bulbophyllum zygochilum has flowers of a general shape
remarkably similar to those of B. maxillare Rchb. f., but
distinguished at once by the ciliate lateral sepals, with a row
of small warts close to the lower margin, and the short lip,
without a linear appendage at the tip.
Group d. See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008). Species with
a patent to pendulous rhizome. Pseudobulbs with the new
short arising from the basal node. This group agrees with
section Leptopus Schltr. (1913) in its original sense.
Bulbophyllum atroviride J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 26)
A Bulbophyllo sectione Polymeres cum rhizomatibus patentibus
foliis dense dispositis distincte convexis, petalis acutis tenuiter
erosis differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Gulf Province, Darai Plateau,
Hort. LEI 20031539 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 20 cm long, ca 1.5 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.40.9 cm long, pendulous, bracts rather
persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.300.450.20.3 cm, obliquely
recurved, distant, oblong, deeply furrowed on the adaxial
side, the new shoot arising at the base of the pseudobulb.
Leaves dark green, sessile, blade 2.03.2 11.6 cm, index
(length/width) 1.62.0, elliptic, acute, usually distinctly
convex. Inflorescence ca 1.6 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle
177
Figure 30. Bulbophyllum condensatum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip,
(D) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (G)
pollinia, above: two pairs, below: a single pair. All from Yumte 280 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in
mm.
178
Figure 31. Bulbophyllum erythrosema. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) column, lateral view, (G) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right:
abaxial side, (H) pollinia, left: a single pair, right: two pairs. All from Hort. LEI 20030122 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen.
All scale bars are given in mm.
179
ca 3.5 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bract 1, ca 3 mm
long; floral bract ca 2.3 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers
wide open, sepals and petals translucent yellow, the sepals
with greenish tips, lip orangeyellow, bright red at the base,
column greenish, foot red, anther-cap pale yellow. Pedicelwith-ovary 68 mm long, basal node on a ca 1.2 mm long
stump. Dorsal sepal ca 10 4 mm, index ca 2.5, spreading,
ovate, acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached,
rather thin, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 9.5
3.2 mm, index 2.93.0, free, base rather narrowly attached,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 4.2 1.7 mm, index
2.42.5, spreading, ovatetriangular, acute, margins finely
erose, base narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca
3.8 1.5 mm, index ca 2.5, only slightly recurved, oblong,
rounded, margins distinctly ciliate except near the very base,
thick; adaxially concave near the base, with two high, rather
sharp keels starting near the base, close to the margins and
gently converging but leaving a deep furrow in between up
to two fifths of the length of the lip, distal part somewhat
convex, adaxial surface glabrous but with a finely papillose
seam towards the margins; abaxially convex and deeply
furrowed, surface papillose and with long hairs except near
the tip. Column ca 3.2 mm long; stigma ovate, without
keels inside; foot widened distally; stelidia ca 2 mm long,
slightly downwards falcate, triangularsubulate, acute;
rostellum not protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest,
surface papillose, front margin drawn out into a rounded
beak; pollinia 4, more or less obovoid, the outer slightly
flattened, the inner slightly shorter than the outer, distinctly
flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in rather open lowland forest on limestone
bedrock; 440 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Gulf Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the dark green colour of the plant.
Bulbophyllum atroviride is well defined among the species of
section Polymeres with a patent rhizome by the densely
placed, distinctly convex leaves and the acute, finely erose
petals. Bulbophyllum imbricans J. J. Sm. looks more or less
similar, but is a distinctly smaller plant with ciliate petals and
pubescent keels on the adaxial side of the lip, near its base.
Bulbophyllum planiplexum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 27)
Type: Papua New Guinea, locality unknown, cult. Jongejan
1688 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 12 cm long, ca 2 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 1.11.6 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
rather persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.01.60.70.9 cm, obliquely recurved, distant, oblong, deeply furrowed on the
adaxial side with the edges clasping the next shoot, the new
shoot arising at the base of the pseudobulb. Leaves sessile,
blade 2.35.7 1.52.1 cm, index (length/width) 1.32.7,
ellipticovate, acute. Inflorescence 4.55 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca 1.5 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous
bracts 2, the longest 67 mm long; floral bract ca 4.5 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, yellow,
sepals with three red nerves, petals with a small red patch at
the tip, lip reddish purple, but yellow with small reddish
purple dots near the base, and pale yellow near the tip,
column with a red patch below the proximal margin of the
stelidia. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 14 mm long, basal node on a
ca 5.5 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 8.32.5 mm,
index ca 3.3, porrect, ovate, acute, margins entire, base
broadly attached, rather thick, surface glabrous. Lateral
sepals ca 8.32.4 mm, index 3.43.5, free, ovatetriangular, base broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal.
Petals ca 2.0 1.2 mm, index 1.61.7, porrect, ovate, with
an obtuse edge along the lower margin, obtuse, margins
finely papillose distally, base narrowly attached, rather thin,
surface glabrous. Lip ca 6.01.1 mm, index 4.44.5,
somewhat recurved at a quarter of its length, triangular,
obtuse, margins distinctly and stiffly ciliate except near the
base, thick; adaxially concave in the proximal quarter of its
length, with two short, obtuse ridges starting at the margin
and slightly converging, surface convex distally, glabrous;
abaxially convex, deeply furrowed distally, surface long and
stiffly hairy except near the base. Column ca 1.8 mm long;
stigma elliptic, without keels inside, with two small, conical,
obtuse teeth just below its proximal margin; foot widened
and with patent, rounded lateral teeth just above the
ligament; stelidia ca 1 mm long, triangularsubulate, acute;
rostellum not protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest
overtopping the front margin, surface finely papillose, front
margin not drawn out; pollinia 4, more or less ovoid, all
moderately flattened, the inner slightly shorter than the
outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: locality unknown.
Etymology
A Bulbophyllo sawiensi et B. intonso innovationibus e extrema
basi pseudobulbis provenientibus, pseudobulbis distincte latioribus differt.
180
The name ‘flatly braided’ refers to the pseudobulbs, with are
flattened and arranged in a single plane.
Figure 32. Bulbophyllum eutoreton. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, lateral view, (F) anther-cap, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (G)
pollinia, left: a pair, right: a single. All from Hort. LEI 20030734 (spirit example). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in
mm.
181
Figure 33. Bulbophyllum fruticulum. (A) habit (rhizome erect to patent, not pendulous as drawn), (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from
left to right: dorsal sepal, lateral sepal, petal, (D) lip, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) column with
anther-cap, adaxial side, tilted in two different ways, (G) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, middle: abaxial side, right: side view, (H) pollinia, a
single pair, left: adaxial side, right: side view. All from Hort. LEI 20030188 (spirit material). Drawn by A. Walsmit Sachs. All scale bars
are given in mm.
182
Bulbophyllum planiplexum differs from B. sawiense J. J. Sm.
and B. intonsum J. J. Verm. in the new shoots growing from
the very base of the pseudobulb, rather than from its sides.
The adaxial side of the pseudobulb is distinctly concave,
with flange-like edges firmly clasping the rhizome. The
edges are not, however, fused around the rhizome. The
pseudobulbs of B. planiplexum are also distinctly wider than
in either species.
Habitat and ecology
Dense Castanopsis forest on ridge; alt. unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands Province.
Etymology
Bulbophyllum tricaudatum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 28)
A Bulbophyllo inter species sectionis Polymeres cum rhizomate
patenti labelli figura: in parte basali obovata et parte apicali
lineari divisa, lobis lateralibus basi approximatis, adaxialiter
dente mediali conico basi confertior differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands Province,
Ayiura, cult. Jongejan 3205 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 30 cm long, ca 2.5 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 1.85.2 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
little persistent. Pseudobulbs 2.53.5 ca 0.3 cm, porrect,
distant, cylindrical, the new shoot arising at the base of the
pseudobulb. Leaves: petiole up to ca 0.4 cm long; blade
10.211.0 ca 0.7 cm, index (length/width) 1416, sessile,
ovate, acute. Inflorescence ca 4.5 cm long, 1-flowered;
peduncle ca 2 cm long, more or less patent; non-floriferous
bracts 2, the longest ca 7 mm long; floral bract ca 5 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, colour
not recorded. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 11 mm long, basal
node on a ca 4 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 143 mm,
index 4.64.7, porrect, ovate, acuminate, margins entire,
base rather narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lateral
sepals ca 154 mm, index 3.73.8, free, triangular, acute
acuminate, base broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal
sepal. Petals ca 13 2.5 mm, index ca 5.2, including a
caudate tip of 9 mm long, porrect, ovate, with an acute edge
along the lower margin, close to the base, margins entire but
lower somewhat finely papillose proximally, finely papillose
distally, base narrowly attached, thin, surface glabrous. Lip
slightly recurved at about quarter of its length, margins with
two erect, triangular, obtuse lateral lobes at about one fifth
to one sixth of its length, glabrous, thick, surface glabrous,
midlobe consisting of an obovateoblong basal part, ca
5.0 2.4 mm, index ca 2.1, and a linear, distally somewhat
swollen, obtuse top part 6.50.5 mm, index ca 13;
adaxially concave near the ligament, this cavity in front
bordered by a large, conical, obtuse median tooth, adaxial
surface concave again in between the lateral lobes, beyond
these almost flat; abaxially convex, top part furrowed.
Column ca 2.5 mm long; stigma narrowly triangular,
without keels inside; foot widened to a wedge-shaped
structure just above the ligament; stelidia ca 1 mm long,
deltoid-triangular, acuminate; rostellum somewhat protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest, surface finely
papillose, front margin drawn out into a retuse beak;
pollinia not seen.
The name refers to the caudate tips of the petals and the lip.
Bulbophyllum tricaudatum is unique among section Polymeres with a patent rhizome by the shape of the lip, which is
divided into an obovate basal part and a linear top part,
with lateral lobes near the base, and with a conical median
tooth even closer to the base, on the adaxial side. Only B.
incommodum Kores has a lip of more or less similar outline
(but with an elliptic proximal part); it lacks, however, the
very slender growth habit that is also typical for B.
tricaudatum.
Group e. See Vermeulen and O’Byrne (2008). Species with
an erect, patent to pendulous rhizome. Pseudobulbs with
the new shoot arising laterally from the pseudobulb, at
some distance from its base. This group agrees with sections
Fruticicola Schltr. and Epibulbon Schltr. in their original
sense.
Bulbophyllum chrysanthum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 29)
A Bulbophyllo cyclopensi petalis obtusis, labello longiore (ca
5 mm longo versus 3 mm longo) differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
Hort. LEI 20030151 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 40 cm long, 2.02.5 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.61.0 cm long, erect to patent, bracts not
persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.91.30.3.00.45 cm, porrect,
distant, cylindricalobovoid, the new shoot arising 57 mm
from the base of the pseudobulb, about half-way along its
length. Leaves: petiole 0.10.2 cm long; blade 2.93.4
0.91.1 cm, index (length/width) 2.63.8 (elliptic)ovate,
acute. Inflorescence ca 1.2 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca
0.4 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest ca
3.8 mm long; floral bract ca 3 mm long, tubular, acute.
Flowers moderately opening, ochreyellow, sepals with
three brownish nerves, petals with one as well as a blackish
purple tip, lip slightly darker brownish yellow along the
mid-nerve and at the auricles, column pale yellowish green.
Pedicel-with-ovary ca 4.5 mm long, basal node on a ca
1 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 7 3 mm, index 2.3
2.4, somewhat recurved, ovate, acute, margins entire, base
rather broadly attached, rather thick, surface glabrous.
Lateral sepals ca 7.54.0 mm, index ca 1.9, free, otherwise
183
Figure 34. Bulbophyllum intonsum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
petal, (E) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (F) column and lip, side view, (G) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (H)
pollinia, left: two pairs, right: a single pair. All from Hort. LEI 32162 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given
in mm.
184
Figure 35. Bulbophyllum barbavagabundum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal,
lip, (D) petal, (E) lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (F) column and lip, side view, (G) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial
side, (H) pollinia, above: a single, below: a pair. All from Hort. LEI 940509 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are
given in mm.
185
as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 3.0 1.5 mm, index ca 2,
porrect, ovate with the lower margin somewhat curved
outwards proximally, margins finely erose and papillose,
base rather narrowly attached, rather thin, surface glabrous.
Lip ca 5.0 1.7 mm, index ca 2.9, only slightly recurved,
more or less elliptic, rounded to obtuse, margins with two
antrorse, ovate, obtuse auricles at a third of the length of the
lip, glabrous, thick; adaxially concave and furrowed in the
proximal one third, slightly convex elsewhere, surface
glabrous; abaxially with a low, flat median ridge proximally,
more or less flat and somewhat furrowed distally, surface
finely and rather densely shortly-hairly starting at one fifth
of the length of the lip and continuing up to three fifths of
its length, otherwise glabrous. Column ca 5 mm long;
stigma oblong, without keels inside; foot somewhat
widened and with slight, patent, rounded lateral teeth just
above the ligament; stelidia ca 2.5 mm long, triangular,
acute; rostellum distinctly protruding; anther-cap abaxially
with a crest proximally, surface papillose, front margin
drawn out into a rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less
obovoid, all moderately flattened, the inner slightly shorter
than the outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Upper montane forest with scattered Araucaria; 21002300
m a.s.l.
1-flowered; peduncle 0.50.8 cm long, porrect, non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest ca 2.3 mm long; floral bract ca 2 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, dark
maroon, all parts cream-coloured at the base, column and
anther-cap cream-coloured. Pedicel-and-ovary ca 5 mm
long, basal node on a ca 1.7 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal
ca 4.0 1.8 mm, index ca 2.2, more or less porrect, ovate,
acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached, rather
thin, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 4.31.9 mm, index
2.22.3, free, ovatetriangular, otherwise as the dorsal sepal.
Petals ca 2.00.8 mm, index ca 2.5, porrect, ovateoblong,
subacute, margins finely erose, base broadly attached, thin,
surface glabrous. Lip ca 31 mm, index ca 3, only slightly
recurved, ovate, rounded to obtuse, margins finely papillose
and distinctly ciliate except near the base, thick; adaxially
concave and furrowed in the proximal two fifths of its length,
with a flat, oblong, ca 0.6 mm long median callus, flat or
slightly concave for the distal three fifths of its length, adaxial
surface glabrous except for the papillose proximal end of the
median callus; abaxially with a flat median ridge proximally,
convex and deeply furrowed distally, surface long-hairy
except near the base. Column ca 1.7 mm long; stigma ovate,
without keels inside; foot widened and with patent, rounded
lateral teeth just above the ligament; stelidia ca 1.2 mm long,
downwards falcate, triangularsubulate, acute; rostellum not
protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest, surface colliculate, front margin drawn out into a rounded beak; pollinia
4, more or less obovoid, all moderately flattened, the inner
slightly shorter than the outer; no appendages.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the colour of the flowers: ‘chrysos’
(Greek) gold.
Bulbophyllum chrysanthum is most similar to B. cyclopense J.
J. Sm., but differs in having obtuse petals and a longer lip
(ca 3 mm long in B. cyclopense).
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in low and dense primary forest on limestone
ridge; alt. unknown.
Distribution
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the densely placed leaves.
Bulbophyllum condensatum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 30)
A Bulbophyllo marginato labelli latere adaxiali cum callo
abaxiali pilis attenuatis differt.
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Yumte 280 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 7 cm long, ca 1 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.150.20 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
rather persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.450.55 0.150.25 cm,
porrect, distant, cylindricalobovoid, the new shoot arising
about 1 mm from the base of the pseudobulb. Leaves sessile,
blade 1.43.2 0.91.0 cm, index (length/width) 1.53.6,
elliptic to ovate, acute. Inflorescence 1.72.0 cm long,
186
Bulbophyllum condensatum is most similar to B. marginatum
Schltr.; it differs in having a callus on the adaxial side of the
lip, and tapering, rather than clavate, hairs on the abaxial
side.
Bulbophyllum erythrosema J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 31)
A Bulbophyllo perforanti sepalis brevioriter caudatis, labello
recto in longitudine perpetua plus minusve concavo differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
Hort. LEI 20030122 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
Figure 36. Bulbophyllum fallacinum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side, (G) pollinia,
left: two pairs, right: a single pair. All from cult. Jongejan 966 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
187
Figure 37. Bulbophyllum stockeri. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D) lip,
above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view. All from cult. Stocker 21 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J.
Vermeulen. All scale bars are given in mm.
188
to 50 cm long, ca 4 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.71.5 cm long, erect to patent, bracts not
persistent. Pseudobulbs 1.52.8 ca 0.5 cm, porrect, distant, cylindricalobovoid, the new shoot arising 48 mm
from the top of the pseudobulb. Leaves: petiole 0.60.8 cm
long; blade 4.56.0 1.41.8 cm, index (length/width)
3.23.4, elliptic, acute. Inflorescence ca 3 cm long, 1flowered; peduncle ca 1.3 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous
bracts 2, the longest ca 10 mm long; floral bract ca 9 mm
long, tubular, acute. Flowers widely opening, sepals yellow,
nerves red proximally, petals whitish with a purple midnerve, lip reddish purple with a yellow margin, column
yellow, suffused with red. Pedicel-and-ovary ca 16 mm
long, basal node on a ca 6.5 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal
ca 22 6 mm, index 3.63.7, including a ca 9 mm caudate
tip, recurved or spreading, elliptic, margins ciliolate but
glabrous distally, base narrowly attached, rather thin,
surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 21 5 mm, index ca
4.2, free, upper margin glabrous, lower shortly ciliolate,
base rather broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal.
Petals ca 4 2 mm, index ca 2, recurved, distinctly convex
distally, ellipticoblong, acute, margins finely erosepapillose, base broadly attached, thin, surface about glabrous.
Lip ca 7.54.0 mm, index 1.81.9, only slightly recurved,
ellipticobovate, obtuse, margins entire, rather thick, surface glabrous; adaxially somewhat concave, with two short,
converging and distally almost meeting ridges near the base
with an inconspicuous flat callus in between; abaxially
convex. Column ca 1.8 mm long; stigma semi-elliptic,
without keels inside, with a low median callus well below
its proximal margin; foot widened and with patent,
rounded lateral teeth just above the ligament; stelidia ca
1 mm long, narrowly triangular, tip about acute; rostellum
protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a distinct crest,
surface about glabrous, front margin drawn out into a
rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less ovoid, the outer
moderately flattened, the inner slightly shorter than the
outer, distinctly flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Upper montane forest with scattered Araucaria; 21002300
m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the purple spot on the lip.
Bulbophyllum erythrosema is most similar to B. perforans J. J.
Sm., but differs in having shorter, caudate sepals (dorsal
sepal with the cauda less than half of the total length of the
sepal), and in having a straight lip which is more or less
concave over its entire length.
Bulbophyllum eutoreton J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 32)
A Bulbophyllo elliptico labello lateri adaxiali marginibus
duabus inter se cum callo, stelidiis brevissimus sursum curvatis
differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Mount
Bapaoto, Hort. LEI 20030734 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 40 cm long, ca 3 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.40.6 cm long, erect to patent, bracts not
persistent. Pseudobulbs 2.23.0 ca 0.3 cm, porrect, distant, cylindrical, the new shoot arising 35 mm from the
top of the pseudobulb. Leaves: petiole 0.20.3 cm long;
blade elliptic, 5.25.7 1.31.5 cm, index (length/width)
3.44.1, subacute. Inflorescence ca 2 cm long, 1-flowered;
peduncle ca 0.7 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2,
the longest ca 5 mm long; floral bract ca 3.2 mm long,
tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening, sepals and
petals creamy-yellow, lip light yellow, base with a narrowly
triangular maroon spot, column and anther-cap creamyyellow. Pedicel-with-ovary ca 7 mm long, basal node on a
ca 2.4 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 9 4 mm, index
2.22.3, including a cuspidate tip, recurved, ovate, margins
finely papillose, base rather broadly attached, rather thin,
surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 11 4 mm, index 2.7
2.8, free, upper margin glabrous, lower with scattered, very
fine papillae, base rather narrowly attached, otherwise as the
dorsal sepal. Petals ca 2.3 1.5 mm, index ca 1.5, porrect,
ovatetriangular, obtuse, margins finely papillose, base
narrowly attached, rather thin, surface about glabrous. Lip
ca 42 mm, index ca 2, only slightly recurved, elliptic,
obtuse, margins slightly finely papillose proximally, otherwise glabrous, rather thick, surface glabrous; adaxially
somewhat concave proximally, with two distally slightly
converging ridges close to the mid-nerve at over two fifths
of the length of the lip and with a flat, elliptic median callus
in between; abaxially convex proximally, slightly convex
distally. Column ca 1.2 mm long; stigma more or less
orbicular, without keels inside, with a very slight median
thickening well below its proximal margin; foot somewhat
widened and with reflexed, rounded lateral teeth just above
the ligament; stelidia very short and abruptly bent upwards
at their base, acute, with a porrect, deltoid, more or less
acute edge along the lower margin, at the level of the
rostellum; rostellum protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a
distinct, flat crest, surface colliculate, front margin drawn
out into a deltoid beak; pollinia 2, obovoid, somewhat
flattened; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Lower montane hill ridge forest on limestone bedrock;
12001300 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
189
Figure 38. Bulbophyllum thecanthum. (A) habit, (B) flower, (C) flower analysis, from left to right: dorsal sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip, (D)
lip, left: abaxial side, right: adaxial side, (E) column and lip, side view, (F) anther-cap, above: abaxial side, below: adaxial side, (G)
pollinia, left: two pairs, right: a single pair. All from Hort. LEI 930558 (spirit material). Drawn by J. J. Vermeulen. All scale bars are given
in mm.
190
Etymology
Habitat and ecology
The name refers to the fact that the young shoots
grow through the pseudobulbs to its tip: ‘toreo’ (Greek)
to drill.
Upper montane forest ca 25 m high, on steep slope, with
scattered Araucaria; 21002300 m a.s.l.
Bulbophyllum eutoreton is most similar to B. ellipticum
Schltr., but differs in the presence of two ridges on the
adaxial side of the lip, with a callus in between, as well as in
the short, upward-curved stelidia.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Central Province.
Etymology
Bulbophyllum fruticulum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 33)
The name refers to the minute, bushy appearance of the
plant.
A Bulbophyllo exiguifloro foliis multo minoribus (1.01.7
0.300.45 cm versus 45 1.01.3 cm), pedicello ovarioque
multo breviore (2.5 mm longo bracteae longitudine bis minore
versus 5 mm longo bracteae longitudine multo bis majore),
petalis tenuiter erosis differt.
Bulbophyllum fruticulum is most similar to B. exiguiflorum
Schltr., but differs in having much smaller leaves (45
1.01.3 cm in B. exiguiflorum), a much shorter pedicelwith-ovary (pedicel-with-ovary 5 mm long, much more
than twice the length of the bract in B. exiguiflorum), and
finely erose petals (coarsely dentate in B. exiguiflorum).
Type: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape,
Mount Alio, Hort. LEI 20030188 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 7 cm long, 1.01.4 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.20.4 cm long, erect to patent (erroneously
drawn pendulous in Fig. 33), bracts rather persistent.
Pseudobulbs 0.50.80.150.20 cm, porrect, distant, cylindricalobovoid, the new shoot arising about 1.53.0 mm
from the base of the pseudobulb. Leaves: petiole up to
1 mm long; blade 1.01.7 0.300.45 cm, index (length/
width) 2.73.8, elliptic, acute. Inflorescence ca 0.6 cm long,
1-flowered; peduncle ca 0.1 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest 58 mm long; floral bract ca
1.5 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately opening,
sepals and petals yellow, lip and column pale yellow.
Pedicel-with-ovary ca 2.5 mm long, basal node on a ca
0.8 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 1.7 1.2 mm, index
ca 1.4, more or less porrect, elliptic, apiculate, margins
entire, base rather broadly attached, rather thin, surface
glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 2.0 1.7 mm, index ca 1.2, free,
ellipticovate, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 1.0
0.6 mm, index ca 1.7, porrect, ellipticoblong, rounded,
margins finely erose, base broadly attached, thin, surface
glabrous. Lip ca 1.61.1 mm, index 1.41.5, more or less
straight, ovate, rounded, margins papillose, thick, surface
papillose except near the tip; adaxially concave near the
base, with two high, rather sharp keels starting near the
base, close to the margins and gently converging but leaving
a deep furrow in between for up to two thirds of the length
of the lip, distal part somewhat convex; abaxially convex,
somewhat furrowed distally. Column ca 1.2 mm long;
stigma ovate, without keels inside; foot not widened;
stelidia ca 0.5 mm long, slightly downwards falcate,
triangularsubulate, acute; rostellum not protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest, surface papillose, front
margin drawn out into a rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or
less ellipsoid, the inner somewhat shorter than the outer,
flattened; no appendages.
Bulbophyllum intonsum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 34)
A Bulbophyllo sawiensi sepalis longioribus angustioribusque
(sepalo medio ca 9.5 2.2 mm versus ca 5 2 mm), et labello
longioribus (ca 6.5 versus 2.5 mm) differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, East Sepik Province, Karawari
River basin, Hort. LEI 32162 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting near the base of the rhizome, growing
backwards along it until reaching the substrate. Rhizome up
to 18 cm long, 1.51.7 mm in diameter, sections between
pseudobulbs 0.81.2 cm long, patent to pendulous, bracts
rather persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.71.0 0.30.4 cm, porrect, distant, cylindricalobovoid, the new shoot arising 3
4 mm from the top of the pseudobulb. Leaves sessile, blade
3.64.8 1.92.7 cm, index (length/width) 2.12.7, ovate,
acute. Inflorescence ca 2.5 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca
1 cm long, porrect; non-floriferous bracts 2, the longest ca
4.3 mm long; floral bract ca 3.2 mm long, tubular, acute.
Flowers moderately opening, colour unknown. Pedicel-andovary ca 6 mm long, basal node on a ca 2 mm long stump.
Dorsal sepal ca 9.5 2.2 mm, index ca 4.3, recurved, ovate,
acuminate, margins entire, base rather broadly attached,
rather thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 9.8
2.3 mm, index 4.24.3, free, ovatetriangular, base broadly
attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 2.0
0.9 mm, index ca 2.2, porrect, ovate, obtuse, margins
slightly and finely erose, base rather broadly attached, rather
thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 6.51.1 mm, index ca 5.9,
recurved at a quarter of its length, ovate, subacute, margins
distinctly ciliate except near the base, thick; adaxially
concave in the proximal quarter of its length, with a
somewhat convex, elliptic callus starting at a quarter and
ending at about half of its length, surface convex distally,
glabrous except for a patch of short hairs next to and
proximal of the callus; abaxially convex, deeply furrowed
distally, surface long-hairy except near the base. Column ca
191
3.2 mm long; stigma ovate, without keels inside; foot
widened and with patent, rounded lateral teeth just above
the ligament; stelidia ca 1.8 mm long, slightly downwards
falcate, triangularsubulate, acute; rostellum not protruding; anther-cap abaxially with a crest, surface more or less
glabrous, front margin drawn out into a rounded beak;
pollinia 4, more or less obovoid, all moderately flattened,
the inner slightly shorter than the outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in seasonally inundated forest; 50 m a.s.l.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: East Sepik Province.
Etymology
The name refers to the hairy abaxial side of the lip:
‘intonsum’ (Latin) unshaven.
Bulbophyllum intonsum is most similar to Bulbophyllum
sawiense J. J. Sm., but differs in having longer and
narrower sepals (dorsal sepal ca 5 2 mm in B. sawiense),
and in having a longer lip (ca 2.5 mm long in B.
sawiense).
Bulbophyllum section Schistopetalum Schltr.
Bulbophyllum section Schistopetalum Schltr. (1913, p. 700,
763).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum schistopetalum Schltr. (designated
by J. J. Vermeulen and O’Byrne 2008)
floriferous bracts ca 2, the longest ca 2.8 mm long; floral
bract ca 2.8 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately
(?) opening, sepals blackish purple proximally, elsewhere
dull yellow adaxially, with ochre nerves abaxially, lip dark
purple, almost black proximally, hairs purple but white at
the tip. Pedicel-and-ovary ca 17 mm long, basal node on a
ca 3 mm long stump. Dorsal sepal ca 11.54.0 mm, index
ca 2.9, ovate, acuminate, margins entire, base narrowly
attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 11.6
3.9 mm, index ca 3, free, oblique, base broadly attached,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals porrect, a seam along
the side of the column ca 0.5 mm wide, with three
triangular teeth, the median drawn out into a subulate
cauda with a swollen tip 1.9 mm long measured from the
base of the petal, the two laterals obliquely porrect, obtuse,
ca 0.5 mm long measured from the base of the petal,
margins entire, thin, surface glabrous. Lip ca 7.02.5 mm,
index ca 2.8, hardly recurved, ovate, acuminate with an
obtuse tip, margins ciliate proximally, long-hairy distally,
thick; adaxially with a distinct cavity near the base, bordered
distally by a transverse ledge, beyond this the lip is first
concave because of the upturned margins, then flat, with a
narrow median furrow continuing up to about third of the
length of the lip, bordered by two thin ridges, surface
glabrous proximally except for a patch of papillae around
the ledge, distally densely long-hairy with frizzled, entangled hairs; abaxially convex near the base, more or less
flat elsewhere, surface glabrous proximally, hairy distally as
on the adaxial side. Column ca 1.4 mm long; stigma
oblong, with a single keel inside, with a distinct, smooth
callus just below its base; foot short, narrowed; stelidia ca
0.4 mm long, triangular, with a wide, patent, deltoid,
rounded wing along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially
with a flattened crest, surface glabrous, front margin drawn
out into a truncate beak; pollinia 2, obovoid; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Bulbophyllum barbavagabundum J. J. Verm.
sp. nov. (Fig. 35)
Undisturbed primary forest; 450 m a.s.l.
A Bulbophyllo trigonioide petalorum marginibus proximalibus
sine lobis semi-ellipticis, labello longiore angustioreque (7
2.5 mm versus 4.5 3 mm) stelidiis brevissimis differt.
Distribution
Type: Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula,
Hort. LEI 940509 (holotype: L).
Roots sprouting mainly below the pseudobulbs. Rhizome
1.01.5 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs
0.20.3 cm long, creeping, bracts not persistent. Pseudobulbs 0.350.50 0.350.60 cm, borne close together,
erect, ovoid-globular, suffused purple. Leaves: petiole up
to 0.1 cm long; blade 1.01.5 0.851.2 cm, index
(length/width) 1.11.4, elliptic(ovate), obtuse, abaxial
surface suffused purple. Inflorescence ca 4 cm long, 1flowered; peduncle ca 1.5 cm long, erect to patent; non-
192
Indonesia: Papua, Bird’s Head (Doberai) Peninsula.
Etymology
The name refers to the bushy, tangled hairs on the lip.
Bulbophyllum barbavagabundum shares the three-pronged
petals with B. trigonidioides J. J. Sm., but differs in lacking
the semi-elliptic lobes along the proximal margins of the
petals, in having a longer and narrower lip (4.5 3 mm in
B. trigonidioides), and in having very short stelidia (about as
long as the column body in B. trigonidoides).
Bulbophyllum section Stenochilus J. J. Sm.
Distribution
Bulbophyllum section Stenochilus J. J. Sm. (1914, p. 33);
Seidenfaden (1979, p. 13).
Lectotype: Bulbophyllum macranthum Lindl. (designated by
Seidenfaden 1979).
Papua New Guinea: Northern to Milne Bay Province. (2
specimens seen); without further locality (4).
Etymology
Bulbophyllum fallacinum J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 36)
The name refers to the similarity with B. werneri: ‘fallax’
(Latin) false.
A Bulbophyllo werneri labello apicaliter elongato nec proximaliter constricto, stelidiis dente rotundato ad subacuto in
marginis parte inferiore differt.
Bulbophyllum fallacinum is most similar to B. werneri Schltr.
but differs in the elongated apical part of the lip which is
not constricted at its base. The tooth along the lower
margin of the stelidia is always antrorse, as sometimes in B.
werneri, but it is rounded to subacute, not shortly
acuminate as in B. werneri.
Type: Papua New Guinea, locality unknown, cult. Jongejan
966 (holotype: L).
Rhizome 4.58.0 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 5.59.0 cm long, creeping, bract fibres rather thin,
persistent. Pseudobulbs 250.81.2 cm, ovoid. Leaves:
petiole 1.52.5 cm long; blade 8203.56.0 cm, index
(length/width) 2.34.7, elliptic to obovate, rounded.
Inflorescence ca 10 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle ca
0.8 cm long, patent; non-floriferous bracts ca 4, the longest
ca 8 mm long; floral bract ca 9 mm long, tubular, acute.
Flowers moderately opening, sepals and petals pinkish,
heavily spotted with red, lip suffused with red. Pedicel-withovary ca 80 mm long, basal node on a ca 11 mm long
stump. Dorsal sepal 2430 611 mm, index 2.35.0,
spreading with incurved top part, ovate to ovatetriangular,
acute, margins entire, base rather narrowly attached, thick,
surface glabrous. Lateral sepals 2528 914 mm, index
1.92.8, free, with upwards (ca in the direction of the tip of
the petals) curved top part, triangular, base widely attached,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals 1923 57 mm,
index 2.93.8, spreading with incurved top part, ovate,
(sub)acute, margins entire, base rather broadly attached,
thick, surface glabrous. Lip 13154.57 mm, index 1.9
3.3, top part (?2)2.32.8 mm wide (all unflattened),
recurved in the proximal half, triangular with a drawn-out
ovate top part that is not constricted at its base, rounded to
obtuse, margins regularly rounded above the base when
observed in side view, entire, thick, surface glabrous;
adaxially concave near the base, convex towards the tip;
abaxially with a retuse ridge up to about half of the length
of the lip, top part slightly concave. Column 57 mm long,
more or less straight in profile; stigma without teeth at the
base; foot without ridges; stelidia 1.01.5 mm long, porrect,
triangular, rounded to subacute, above half-way the length
of the column with an antrorse, ovate to triangular,
rounded to subacute tooth along the lower margin;
anther-cap abaxially with a conical crest, surface more or
less glabrous, front margin drawn out into a broadly
rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less drop-shaped, all
moderately flattened, the inner about as long as the outer;
no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Epiphyte in rainforest, open forest; up to 700 m a.s.l.
Bulbophyllum stockeri J. J. Verm. sp. nov.
(Fig. 37)
A Bulbophyllo patenti sepalis petalibusque brevioribus latioribusque (sepalo medio 910 mm lato indice longitudinale/
laterale 1.82.5, versus 3.88.0 mm lato, petalis 6.57.0 mm
latis, indice 1.82.6 versus 36 mm lato indice 3.56.7),
labello margine dorsali distincte rotundatiore in aspectu
laterali differt.
Type: Papua New Guinea, Madang Province, locality
unknown, cult. Stocker 21 (holotype: SING).
Rhizome 3.54.5 mm in diameter, creeping, bract fibres
rather thick, persistent. Pseudobulbs ca 2.0 0.8 cm,
ovoid. Leaves: petiole ca 1.5 cm long; blade ca 17
4.5 cm, index (length/width) ca 3.8, elliptic, obtuse.
Inflorescence ca 6 cm long, 1-flowered; peduncle patent
(not seen). Flowers widely opening, sepals and petals creamcoloured, sepals slightly greenish at the tip, all with
numerous dark reddish brown dots, lip pale greenish cream
suffused and spotted with reddish brown. Pedicel-withovary ca 44 mm long, basal node on a ca 5 mm long stump.
Dorsal sepal 1625 910 mm, index 1.82.5, spreading,
ellipticovate, obtuse, margins entire, base rather narrowly
attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals 1525
9.511 mm, index 1.32.3, free, ovatetriangular, (sub-)
acute, base broadly attached, otherwise as the dorsal sepal.
Petals 13176.57.0 mm, index 1.82.6, spreading,
elliptic to obovate, subacute, margins entire, base rather
narrowly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lip 8.710
5.56 mm, index 1.61.7 (all unflattened), more or less
straight, ellipticovate, rounded, margins with a rounded
edge above the base when observed in side view, entire,
thick, surface glabrous; adaxially hardly concave near the
base, flat or somewhat convex towards the tip; abaxially
with a truncate ridge near the base, top part more or less
flat. Column 5.56.5 mm long; stigma without teeth at the
base; foot without ridges; stelidia ca 1.2 mm long, porrect,
deltoid, obtuse to subacute, near the base of the column
with a slight, rounded wing; anther-cap and pollinia not
seen.
193
Habitat and ecology
Forest in gorge; alt. unknown.
Distribution
Papua New Guinea: Madang Province.
Etymology
Named after Geoff Stocker, who cultivated the type
specimen.
Bulbophyllum stockeri is most similar to B. patens King, from
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. The
two are strictly allopatric. Bulbophyllum stockeri differs in
having shorter and wider sepals and petals (dorsal sepal 3.8
8.0 mm wide, length/width 2.95.5, petals 36 mm wide,
length/width 3.56.7 in B. patens). In side view, the lip has
a distinctly more rounded back margin.
Bulbophyllum thecanthum J. J. Verm. sp.
nov. (Fig. 38)
A Bulbophyllo hahliano petalis porrectis, labelli parte apicali
conspicuioriter producta, columnae basi infra stigmatem sine
gibba minuta differt.
Type: Indonesia, Ceram (?), Hort. LEI 930558 (holotype:
L).
Rhizome 56 mm in diameter, sections between pseudobulbs 711 cm long, creeping, bract fibres thick, persistent.
Pseudobulbs 2.63.0 1.21.5 cm, ovoid. Leaves: petiole
2.53.6 cm long; blade 19214.05.7 cm, index (length/
width) 3.35.3, obovate, rounded. Inflorescence 56 cm
long, 1-flowered; peduncle 0.70.8 cm long, patent; nonfloriferous bracts ca 4, the longest 7.07.5 mm long; floral
bract ca 7 mm long, tubular, acute. Flowers moderately
opening, yellow, petals with scattered red spots adaxially,
most densely about half-way. Pedicel-with-ovary 35
38 mm long, basal node on a ca 7 mm long stump. Dorsal
sepal ca 16 7 mm, index ca 2.3, recurved, ellipticovate,
shortly acuminate, margins entire, base rather broadly
attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lateral sepals ca 18
8 mm, index 2.22.3, firmly fused along their lower
margins in the distal half, porrect, triangular, acute,
otherwise as the dorsal sepal. Petals ca 15 5 mm, index
ca 3, porrect, ellipticovate, acute, margins entire, base
narrowly attached, thick, surface glabrous. Lip ca 4.7
4.2 mm, index ca 1.1 (all unflattened), somewhat recurved
about half-way, triangular with a drawn out, linguiform top
part, obtuse, margins with an acute edge above the base
when observed in side view, entire, thick, surface glabrous;
adaxially concave and with two obtuse ridges parallel to the
margins and converging distally near the base, convex
194
towards the tip; abaxially with a retuse ridge nearly up to
the top of the lip. Column ca 4 mm long, more or less
straight in profile; stigma without teeth at the base; stelidia
ca 1.5 mm long, porrect, triangular, obtuse, without tooth
along the lower margin; anther-cap abaxially with a conical
crest, surface more or less glabrous, front margin drawn out
into a broadly rounded beak; pollinia 4, more or less
ellipsoid, all moderately flattened, the inner about as long as
the outer; no appendages.
Habitat and ecology
Unknown.
Distribution
Indonesia: Ceram (?, see below).
Etymology
The names refers to the general shape of the flowers: a box
with a lid formed by the median sepal.
Bulbophyllum thecanthum is known from two different
sources, both horticultural, viz. Hort. Bogor 985.3.73
(from Ceram), subsequently (in 1988), in cult. Jongejan
2029 and in LEIDEN 930558. More recently, in 2007,
Rysy 3 became available for study. The first record dates
from before the rise of Bulbophyllum as a source of artificial
hybrids. I assume, therefore, that B. thecanthum should, for
the purpose of taxonomy, be regarded as a species, not as an
artificial hybrid. Its provenance, Ceram, is subject to some
doubt, because records at Hort. Bogor are sometimes
unreliable.
Bulbophyllum thecanthum shares the connate lateral sepals
with B. hahlianum Schltr., but differs in the porrect (not
spreading) petals, the more conspicuously drawn-out lip,
and the absence of a small gibbosity on the column-foot,
below the stigma. Bulbophyllum gerlandianum Kraenzl. has
flowers of a similar shape, but with free lateral sepals.
Acknowledgements As always in this line of research, the author is
greatly indebted to those who maintain private living collections of
orchids. Their encouragement and willingness to preserve flowers
in spirit and surrender, often with clenched teeth, parts of plants or
even entire plants for the herbarium, not to mention the often
heated discussions over taxonomic status, is very much appreciated. In this context these are Peter Jongejan (the Netherlands),
Tineke Roelfsema (the Netherlands), and Geoff Stocker (Australia). J. F. Veldkamp prepared the Latin diagnoses.
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