Bulbophyllum dologlossum 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 : 304

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

( Fig. 3 )

TYPE: Papua New Guinea, Enga Province, Laiagam area , 2700—3100 m alt., Jan. 1983, Reeve 864 (holotype L!; isotypes CANB, E, LAE!, K!, NSW) .

DIAGNOSIS. Identified within series B by the presence of four ridges (two long and two short) near the base of the lip, combined with the large size of the flowers and the clustered growth. Most similar is Bulbophyllum ischyron which, apart from having only two ridges on the lip, differs by having acute (versus long-acuminate) sepals and 4-veined (versus 1-veined) petals.

Medium-sized epiphyte with creeping rhizomes and spreading roots. Rhizome 4.5–7.0 mm diam., sections between pseudobulbs 0.9–2.2 cm long, arising from the basal node of the pseudobulb; rhizome scales thick, weathering to woolly fibres, persistent. Pseudobulbs distinct, ovoid-cylindrical, 2.5–7.0 × 0.8–1.2 cm, hardly angular. Leaf: petiole 12–22 mm long; blade elliptic(-oblong) to obovate(-oblong), 6.2–13.5 × 0.7–1.2 cm, ratio length/width 8.8–12.2; obtuse. Inflorescences single or few together, 23—34 cm long, 1-flowered. Peduncle 13–22 cm long, scales ca. 4. Floral bracts 9.0–12.0 mm long. Flowers: pedicel plus ovary 3.0– 4.8 cm long, basal node 7.0–9.0 mm above the floral bract attachment. Median sepal free, recurved, ovate, ca. 75.0 × 8.0 mm, ratio length/ width 9.3—9.4; long-acuminate, margins slightly and minutely erose; glabrous; 3-veined. Lateral sepals as the median. Petals porrect, ovate, ca. 9.6 × 7.0 mm, ratio length/width ca. 1.4; acute, margins minutely erose, ciliolate, surface glabrous; 1-veined. Lip approx. straight, oblong, slightly narrowed near the base and slightly beyond half-way its length, ca. 13.8 × 2.6 mm, ratio length/width ca. 5.3 (without spreading); obtuse, margins entire, approx. densely hirsute near the base, glabrous elsewhere; thick; adaxially with two converging ridges proximally which almost meet with a narrow median slit in between and then continue up to ca. 2/5 of the length of the lip, and which, close to the base, have two shorter, converging ridges in between, adaxial surface slightly convex, proximally with two densely hirsute patches near the margins, elsewhere glabrous; abaxially with a deep median furrow, convex and densely hirsute proximally, slightly concave and glabrous elsewhere. Column including stelidia ca. 4 mm long, stigma narrowly obovate, proximally slightly protruding from the column face, foot distinctly widened, with patent, obtuse lateral teeth. Stelidia sigmoid, narrowly triangular, subulate distally, ca. 2.5 mm long, acute. Pollinia 4.

COLOURS: sepals bright golden yellow. Distal half of lip brown, but apex and proximal half yellow. Part of column-foot purplish.

ETYMOLOGY: doloon (Greek) = dagger, glossa (Greek) = tongue, referring to the lip shape.

HABITAT AND ECOLOGY: common epiphyte forming large clumps. Elevation 2700–3100 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bulbophyllum dologlossum J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel. a. Habit. b. Flower analysis, from left to right: median sepal, petal, lateral sepal, lip.c. Petal.d. Lip, left: adaxial side, right:abaxial side.e. Lip detail.f. Column and lip, lateral view. Drawn from Reeve 864 by © J.J. Vermeulen, from herbarium material.