Bulbophyllum conchiferum Reichenbach (1861: 253)

Averyanov, Leonid V., Nguyen, Van Canh, Vuong, Truong Ba, Nuraliev, Maxim S., Nguyen, Khang Sinh, Maisak, Tatiana V., Yudova, Daria A., Saidov, Nikita T., Nguyen, Cuong Huu & Nong, Duy Van, 2024, New orchids in the flora of Vietnam VIII (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae, tribes Malaxideae, Neottieae and Podochileae), Phytotaxa 658 (1), pp. 1-49 : 8

Bulbophyllum conchiferum Reichenbach (1861: 253) , Bose & Bhattacharjee (1980: 83).

( Fig. 2B–E )

Type: — INDIA . [Meghalaya:] Khasiya Hills, Lobb s.n. (holotype K K 000894441 photo!).

= B. cylindraceum Lindley (1830: 53) pro parte: Augustine et al. (2001: 33).

= B. khasyanum Griffith (1851: 284) pro parte: Seidenfaden (1979: 180), Pearce & Cribb (2002: 459), Ormerod et al. (2021: 36) .

Habitat and phenology in Vietnam: —Creeping epiphyte. There is no data on ecology of this species. In southern Vietnam, it is successfully grown outdoor at an elevation of about 800 m a.s.l., and flowers under cultivation in January–February.

Distribution: — Vietnam (N Vietnam, sine loc.). NE India , Meghalaya (Khasi Hills).

Conservation status in Vietnam: — Bulbophyllum conchiferum was found only once in the country, and the locality of this finding is unknown. We therefore estimate the national conservation status of the species as Data Deficient (DD).

Notes: —The plant from Vietnam reported here closely meets the specimen and excellent analytical drawings presented on the type sheet of B. conchiferum (K000894441) in almost all the morphological characters. Bulbophyllum conchiferum is sometimes undeservedly regarded ( Seidenfaden 1979, Pearce & Cribb 2002, Ormerod et al. 2021) as a synonym of B. khasyanum Griffith (1851: 284) , from which it differs in elongate cylindrical spike (vs. spike short, ovoid to almost globular). Two other morphologically close species, B. cylindraceum (see also Bose & Bhattacharjee 1980, Chen et al. 2009, Teoh 2021, Jin et al. 2023) and B. ustulatum Aver. in Averyanov et al. (2018b: 9), differ from the plant discussed here in presence of a large sheathing involucral bract at the base of inflorescence rachis. In B. conchiferum , such bracts at the base of the rachis are absent. The discovery of B. conchiferum in northern Vietnam expands its known distribution area by more than 1400 km in the south-eastern direction. The global distribution range of this species, however, remains largely unclear due to inconsistencies in identification of available herbarium specimens.

Studied specimen:— VIETNAM. Wild collected plant originated from N Vietnam (without indication of location) and cultivated in Lam Dong Province, Lam Ha District, Phi To Village by Ly Ngoc Quan, photos made on 19 February 2023, L. Averyanov, Nguyen Van Canh, AL2080 (photos LE LE01123830 https://en.herbariumle.ru/?t=occ&id=165199).

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Listera anthropophora. Photos by L.Averyanov from living plant prior to the preparation of the type herbarium specimen Nguyen Van Canh et al., AL2439. B–E. Bulbophyllum conchiferum. Photos by L. Averyanov from the specimen L. Averyanov, Nguyen Van Canh, AL2080. F–I. Bulbophyllum reclusum. Photos by L. Averyanov from the specimens L. Averyanov et al., AL1904 (F, G) and AL2721 (H, I). Photo correction and design by L. Averyanov.