Orchids of New Guinea

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Bulbophyllum katjae

Bulbophyllum katjae J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel, Males. Orchid J. 21 (2018) 32

Type: Leiden cult. 20031521 (Harris 1470) (holo L)

Synonyms:

Bulbophyllum cerinum auct. non Schltr.: Wood (1983): 73, specimen Reeve & Rees 407 (K, LAE).

Epiphytes. Rhizome 0.4–0.8 cm diam.; rhizome scale leaves caducous, only few thin fibers remaining. Pseudobulbs 1.2–1.5 cm apart, (obliquely) erect, ovoid, 2.0–4.5 by 1.3–2.2 cm, rounded in section, with age wrinkling with numerous longitudinal grooves. Leaf petiole 1.7–3.8 cm long; blade elliptic to obovate, 11.0–24.0 by 2.0–6.4 cm, index 3.2–7.8; apex acuminate. Inflorescences 6–11 cm long, solitary to few in a fascicle, 1-flowered; peduncle 2.4–4.5 cm long; scale leaves 2–3, the longest 0.9–0.95 cm long; floral bracts 1.05–1.25 cm long. Pedicel and ovary 0.13–0.35 cm long; basal node 2.0–0.4 cm above the floral bract attachment. Flower not opening widely. Median sepal free, c. porrect to recurved, ovate-triangular, often slightly drawn out towards the apex, 1.9–2.8 by 0.5–0.93 cm, index 2.8–4.0, rather thick, thicker towards the apex; margins entire; apex acute; glabrous; c. 9-nerved. Lateral sepals as the median sepal but slightly oblique, 1.9–3 by 0.65–1.08 cm, index 2.1–3.5. Petals near their base adnate to the column, porrect, triangular, 0.39–0.55 by 0.13–0.18 cm, index 2.6–3.4, rather thin; margins entire; apex acute; glabrous; 1-nerved. Lip about halfway recurved, c. ovate in outline, 0.39–0.48 by 0.3–0.34 cm, index 1.3–1.6 (without spreading) , thick; margins entire; above near the base slightly concave, with 2 low, rounded ridges which gradually emerge in the basal half of the lip, then run c. parallel along the length of the lip enclosing a shallowly concave area to just short of the apex, where they merge into the convex apical part of the lip; below in the basal half of the lip with a median ridge with a rounded crest and a thin, shallow median groove; apex obtuse; glabrous. Column including stelidia 0.25–0.4 cm long; column foot not widened; stelidia porrect, triangular, 0.08–0.17 cm long, with acute apex; without a ridge along the nerves; stigma elliptic; upper margin near the base with a slight, deltoid, obtuse to acute tooth; anther with a rounded ridge, front drawn out into a rather thick, concave, ovate, rounded beak, with minutely papillose surface; pollinia 4, the inner pair slightly shorter than the outer pair.
(after Vermeulen, Schuiteman & de Vogel 2018)

Colours:

Sepals (creamy) white, pale green or yellow towards the apex, upper side towards the base boldly spotted dark purple, further spotted more finely lighter purple. Petals white to pale green. Lip white, pale green or yellow towards the apex, finely spotted purple. Column pale green or pale yellow; column foot stained purple.

Habitat:

Epiphyte in forest with open canopy on limestone bedrock. Altitude 400–1700 m

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea), endemic, see map

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (Gulf and Enga Prov.)

Cultivation:

Warm to intermediate growing epiphyte.

Flowering time in the wild:

In cultivation in Leiden June-November

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
Subtribe Bulbophyllinae
Genus Bulbophyllum
Section Brachypus
Species Bulbophyllum katjae

Notes:

Bulbophyllum katjae is most similar to Bulbophyllum cerinum Schltr., but differs in the absence of a distinct ridge along each side of the column that follows the lower margin of the petals, in the shorter petals (0.39–0.55 versus 0.55–0.75 cm) in the shorter lip (0.39–0.48 versus 0.48–0.72 cm) and in the sepals which are less thickened towards the apex and more sharply acute.

Bulbophyllum katjae flowers with short and wide lateral sepals may resemble Bulbophyllum yumtei, which differs in the obovate-oblong petals (versus triangular), and the high ridges on the upper side of the lip which extend widely beyond the margins of the lip (versus low, rounded ridges which do not extend beyond the margins of the lip).