Bulbophyllum striatulum Aver.

 Bulbophyllum striatulum Aver., Taiwania 61(4):319-354, 2016

Bulbophyllum striatulum Aver.; Photos Nghiem Xuan Son

Vietnamese name: 

Cầu diệp có sọc

Chinise name: 

Common Name: 

The Striated Bulbophyllum

Latin Name: 

Bulbophyllum striatulum Aver. 

Family: 

Orchidaceae

Synonym Name: 

Description: 

Creeping trunk or branch epiphyte. Rhizome long, rigid, semi-woody, (3.5)4–5(5.5) mm in diam., with erect pseudobulbs distant on (5)6–8(9) cm. Pseudobulbs pale dull yellowish-green to olive-brownish, often with purple-brown tint, narrowly conical, (2)2.5– 4.5(5.5) cm tall, (0.7)1–1.5(1.8) cm in diam., glossy, at the base often with wooly, light gray bract remnants. Leaf petiolate; leaf blade rigid, coriaceous, oblong broadly lanceolate, (8)10–22(25) cm long, (1.2)1.5– 3(3.5) cm wide, narrowing into terete, shallowly grooved petiole, (0.8)1–3(3.5) cm long, 2–3(3.5) mm in diam., obtuse at apex. Inflorescence with horizontal peduncle and pendulous dense flowered raceme; peduncle (12)15–20(22) cm long, (1.4)1.6–2.2(2.5) mm in diam., straight, erect and down arching at the middle, yellowish-pink to dull brownish-purple, with (3)4–5(6) sterile, broadly ovate, obtuse, pinkish bracts more or less distant along the scape; rachis (7)8–12(14) cm long, glabrous, pinkish, stout, straight down drooping, with many flowers opening simultaneously. Floral bracts light dull pinkish or yellowish, papyraceous, narrowly triangular, broadly lanceolate, erect, acuminate, (4)5–7(8) mm long, (0.6)0.8–1.2(1.4) mm wide. Pedicel and ovary (1.8)2.5–4(4.2) mm long, ovary obconical, longitudinally slightly grooved (0.6)0.8–1(1.2) mm in diam near flower base. Flowers with strong, unpleasant smell, not much opening, 5–6 mm across, spirally arranged into dense spike-like cylindrical raceme (7)8–12(14) cm long, (1)1.2–1.5(1.6) cm in diam. Sepals 3-5–veined, dull light yellowish-orange, each with 3 purple-brown longitudinal irregular stripe and purple-brown along the margin, spreading, narrowly triangular-ovate, acute to slightly acuminate, glabrous, median sepal (5)5.5–6.5(7) mm long, 1.8–2.2 mm wide; lateral sepals oblique, (7.5)8– 8.5(9) mm long, (2.4)2.5–3(3.2) mm wide, free or joined at apex. Petals dull light yellowish-orange, purple-brown along margin, triangular, narrowing from broad base into aristate apex, (2.4)2.5–2.8(3) mm long, (0.8)0.9–1.1(1.2) mm wide near the base; with subulate arista (0.6)0.8– 1(1.1) mm long. Lip white finely speckled with pink or dull purple, fleshy, oblong narrowly ovoid, (3)3.2– 3.5(3.6) mm long, (0.9)1–1.2(1.3) mm wide, recurved near the base, broadly grooved, finely papillose and shortly ciliate along margin, without distinct keels, rounded or blunt at apex, at the base with 2 forward directed, broad, falcate, obtuse ears. Column white, shortly cylindric, broad, (1.4)1.5–1.8(2) mm tall, (0.8)1(1.2) mm wide, with oblong, concave stigma and long, acuminate stelidia 0.8–1(1.2) mm long, much exceeding operculum; operculum yellow, hemispheric, papillose, 0.7–0.8 mm in diam. 

Flowering:

November–December.

Distribution: 

Found in China, Nepal, eastern Himalayas, Assam India, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In VietNam, Dak Lak (Chu Yang Sin Mountains) and Kon Tum (Dak Ha disrict, Dak Uy commune). 

Ecological: 

In dry broad-leaved evergreen and semideciduous forests and woodlands o at elevations of 600 to 1000 m.

Reference: 

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- orchidspecies.com

- ipni.org

- L.V. Averyanov, Van Duy NONG, Khang Sinh Nguyen, T. Maisak (2016), New Species of Orchids (Orchidaceae) in the Flora of Vietnam, Taiwania 61(4):319-354