Bulbophyllum minutibulbum

Bulbophyllum minutibulbum W.Kittr., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 30 (1984, publ. 1985) 100 (nom. nov.)

Basionym: Bulbophyllum serpens

Epiphyte, very small, creeping, to 20 cm long. Rhizome elongated. Roots filiform, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs crowded, minute, tightly adnate to the rhizome, 0.1-0.15 cm long; 1-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, elliptic or obovate-elliptic, minutely apiculate, fleshy, glabrous, 0.5-0.7 by 0.3-0.4 cm near the middle. Inflorescences 1-flowered, 0.4 cm long, erect, with a few small peduncle-scales. Floral bracts cucullate, as long as the ovary. Flower not resupinated. Sepals lanceolate, subacute, glabrous, 0.8 cm long. Lateral sepals oblique, tightly connate up to near the apex. Petals obliquely ovate, shortly aristate-acuminate, glabrous, 0.2 cm long; margins subdentate-irregular. Lip narrowly linear, very acute, 0.53 cm long; at the base with 2 minute auricles; above the base with the margins on either side lobe-like dilated; basal callus decurrent in a keel; margins fairly long finely ciliate except for the basal third. Column very short; stelidia subulate, subacute; column-foot rather thick, somewhat incurved. Anther cucullate, glabrous. Ovary sessile, 0.13 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1913)

Colours: Flower violet-red. Petals and lip darker so.

Habitat: Epiphyte in forest; 450 m.

Flowering time in the wild: October.

Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea; see map 96-1165M.jpg.