Bulbophyllum Pg2

Section Sestochilus: 

This is a horticulturally rewarding section with many well known species like lobbii, macrantum and patens. The flower is usually solitary and relatively large but there are species with multiple inflorescence also placed in this section due to floral characteristics. 

 

The white flower distinguish B. rugosum from other Sestochilus species from Peninsula  Malaysia. 

B. pustulatum is an unusual species from Malaysia and Borneo - it has thick succulent lip - mmmmm ! 

The flower only opens for a few hours in the morning for a few days .

Bulbophyllum singaporeanum

Despite its name, this plant is not common ( extinct ?) in Singapore. Its current known distribution is Malaysia and  Borneo. Vegetatively, the plant is unique in having very small pseudobulbs and long narrow red-brown leaves. In Southern Malaysia, I have found it growing on the ground scrambling across large boulders and fallen tree but never higher than a few  metres from the ground. The bloom is another stinker - smells like dead fish.

B. pileatum is from the lowland of Malaysia. The base of the lip has two purple/red lines.

These picture show variations of two plants  of the same species both taken in Peninsula Malaysia - vegetatively they are indistinguishable but the flowers are quite different. The top form appears to be rarer of the two.

In the wild, they occur as a very long vine twining round tree trunks from near ground level upwards, sometimes on very thin branches 

Bulbophyllum macrantum

 

A rather common lowland species from SE Asia which has hairy pseudobulbs to trap nutrients. The flower is non-resupinate, ie, upside down.

B. patens is a common plant from SE Asia - vegetatively it is like B. macrantum - having upward pointing hairs around the pseudobulbs which help to trap debris to nourish the plant, the leaves however is spade shaped instead of elongated. The upside-down flower is closed in the evening. Unlike most Bulbophyllum, the flower has a sweet fruity smell.

Other Bulbos:

     

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