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Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1912) 400

Type: Schlechter 19354 (holo B, lost; iso L, S)

Rhizome very short or somewhat elongated. Pseudobulbs clustered, 2-7-leaved, large, to 8 by 6 cm, covered by sheaths. Leaves narrowly petiolate; blade elliptic, 100 by 12 cm, apex acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, erect, 100 cm long, glabrous; peduncle-scales few, short, obtuse, clasping the stem; rachis short, densely many-flowered. Floral bracts deflexed, elliptic, 2.9-3.5 by 1.3-1.5 cm, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers c. 5 cm diam., erect to erect-patent. Median sepal elliptic, 2.8-3.3 by 1.5-1.7 cm, apex obtuse. Lateral sepals obliquely elliptic, 2.8-3.3 cm long. Petals obliquely suborbicular-ovate, 2.8-3.3 by 2-2.5 cm, apex obtuse. Lip 3-lobed, 1.5 cm long, 1.7 cm wide between tips of lateral lobes when flattened; callus obcordate-obovate, sloping backwards, with a shallow median groove, 0.38-0.53 cm tall, 0.42-0.57 cm wide, with short hairs at apex and base; lateral lobes turned backwards, making a 108 to 190 degrees angle with the mid-lobe, obliquely ligulate, 0.85-1.16 cm long, at base 0.61-0.85 cm wide, at apex 0.35-0.51 cm wide; mid-lobe 1.3-1.53 cm long; claw 0.55-0.73 cm long, 0.11-0.21 cm wide, dilated towards the apex, with indistinct lobules on either side of the callus; terminal blade 0.7-0.88 cm wide, obovate-obcordate to obtusely apiculate. Column slender, curved, dilated at apex, 1.7 cm long. Anther subcordate-ovate, obtusely apiculate, glabrous. Ovary 4 cm long, glabrous. Fruit cylindrical, glabrous, 7 by 1.2 cm. (After Howcroft, 1992)


Flower violet-pink, callus of lip yellow, lateral lobes of lip brownish red, apex of mid-lobe darker violet-pink.

Terrestrial in lowland forest; 15 to 450 m.

Malesia (New Guinea).

Papua New Guinea. See map

distribution map

Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

May, November.

  • Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 140, fig. 527
  • Family Orchidaceae
  • Subfamily Epidendroideae
  • Tribe Collabieae
  • Subtribe Not used
  • Genus Spathoglottis
  • Species Spathoglottis bulbosa

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Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., inflorescence, photo G. Stocker

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., photo Jon Cara, inflorescence, cult. Geoff Stocker, from Papua New Guinea

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., photo Jon Cara, flowers, various views, cult. Geoff Stocker, from Papua New Guinea

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., photo Jon Cara, flower, front view, cult. Geoff Stocker, from Papua New Guinea

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., photo Jon Cara, flower detail, centre of flower, front view, cult. Geoff Stocker, from Papua New Guinea

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., photo Jon Cara, flower detail, centre of flower, oblique lateral view, cult. Geoff Stocker, from Papua New Guinea

Spathoglottis bulbosa

Spathoglottis bulbosa Schltr., herbarium sheet, Schlechter 19354 (isotype specimen L)