Bulbophyllum lipochilum J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel

Vermeulen, Jaap J., Schuiteman, André & De Vogel, Edward F., 2020, Sixteen new species of Bulbophyllum section Polymeres (Orchidaceae) from New Guinea, Lankesteriana 20 (3), pp. 301-330 : 322

Bulbophyllum lipochilum J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel , sp. nov.

( Fig. 14 , 18C )

TYPE: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Woitape, Mt. Alio South facing slope, at the North end of the valley , 2100 m alt., De Vogel & Vogel (2002) s.n ., L alca. 18379 (holotype L!, spirit material) .

DIAGNOSIS. Most similar to Bulbophyllum chaunobulbon Schltr. , with which it shares the scale-covered rhizome, the lax arrangement of the pseudobulbs and the glabrous lip. It differs by having wider petals (ratio length/width 1.4–1.5, versus 1.7–3.0), by the ovate lip with a drawn-out apex (versus oblong), and by the approx. porrect (versus sigmoid) stelidia.

Rather large epiphyte with pendulous, branched rhizomes to 50 cm long, some roots growing over the rhizome towards its base, others spreading. Rhizome 1.8–2.2 mm diam., sections between pseudobulbs 0.6–2.5 cm long, arising from the basal node of the pseudobulb; rhizome scales thin, little persistent. Pseudobulbs distinct, cylindrical-ovoid, 13–42 × 2.5–3.2 mm, hardly angular. Leaf: petiole 1.5–2.5 mm long; blade ovate, 32–72 × 3.5–5.5 mm, ratio length/ width 9.1–13.1; acute. Inflorescences single or a few together, ca. 3.5 cm long, 1-flowered. Peduncle 1.3– 3.1 cm long, scales 3. Floral bracts 3.5–4.0 mm long. Flowers: pedicel plus ovary 8.0–10.0 mm long, basal node 1.5–3.0 mm above the floral bract attachment. Median sepal free, recurved, ovate-triangular, ca. 13.5 × 2.4 mm, ratio length/width 5.6–5.7; acuteacuminate, margins entire, minutely papillose, surface glabrous; 5-veined. Lateral sepals as the median but falcate, triangular, ca. 13.8 × 4.0 mm, ratio length/ width 3.4–3.5, margins glabrous. Petals porrect, ovate, ca. 5.2 × 3.5 mm, ratio length/width 1.4–1.5; acuminate, upper margin entire, glabrous, lower somewhat erose, densely papillose-ciliolate, surface glabrous; 1-veined. Lip recurved near the base, ovate with drawn-out apex, ca. 11.2 × 1.8 mm, ratio length/ width 6.2–6.3 (without spreading); obtuse, margins entire, glabrous; very thick; adaxially concave close to the base and with two short, narrow ridges which start near the margins and then converge, leaving a wide gap in between, surface elsewhere convex, abaxially with a median furrow which is deep in the basal half, shallow elsewhere. Column including stelidia ca. 2.4 mm long, stigma narrowly obovate with slightly protruding base, foot distally widening. Stelidia approx. porrect, narrowly triangular, ca. 1.1 mm long, acute, upper and lower margin with a slight, deltoid, obtuse tooth. Pollinia 4, the inner more than half as long as the outer.

COLOURS: tepals pale yellow-ochre, veins dull red, petals with a few blackish dots along the upper margin. Lip glossy, orange-yellow, proximally red, distally white.

ETYMOLOGY: lipos (Greek) = grease, cheilos (Greek) lip, referring to the shiny lip surface.

HABITAT AND ECOLOGY: not recorded. Elevation 2200 m.

Figures

FIGURE 14.Bulbophyllum lipochilum J.J.Verm., Schuit.& de Vogel.a. Habit.b. Flower.c. Flower analysis, from left to right: median sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip. d. Lip, left: adaxial side, right: abaxial side. e. Column and lip, lateral view. f. Column, lateral view. g.Anther, above: adaxial side, below: abaxial side. h. Pollinia, above: two pairs, below: one pair. Drawn from de Vogel & Vogel (2002) s.n., L alc. 18379 by © J.J. Vermeulen, from spirit material.

FIGURE 18. New species of Bulbophyllum from New Guinea. A. Bulbophyllum farciminiferum (Jongejan cult. 1700). B. Bulbophyllum nannae (Jongejan cult. 1408); C. Bulbophyllum lipochilum [de Vogel & Vogel (2002) s.n., L alc. 18379]. Photographs by P. Jongejan (A, B) and E.F. de Vogel (C).