Species Information - Bulbophyllum apodum

Bulbophyllum apodum Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5 (1890) 766; Hooker's Icon. Pl. 21 (1890) t. 2043

Type: Scortechini s.n. (syn K); Kew Distr. (Maingay 3244) 1619 (syn K)

Synonyms:

• Phyllorchis apoda (Hook.f.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. (1891) 677
• Bulbophyllum spathaceum Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1893) 170
  - Type: O'Brien cult. (Low & Co) s.n. (Burma, Shan States)
• Bulbophyllum ebulbum King & Pantl., J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 63 (1895) 334
  - Type: ? Collector (Sikkim, at Sivoke, 1000 ')
• Bulbophyllum saccatum Kraenzl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 34 (1904) 250
  - Type: Beccari 486 (holo FI)
• Bulbophyllum ebulbe Schltr. in K.Schum. & Lauterb., Nachtr. Fl. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. Südsee (1905) 200
  - Type: Schlechter 14639 (holo B, lost; iso AMES, BR, K, P)
• Bulbophyllum polypodioides Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 39 (1906) 86
  - Type: Schlechter 15422 (holo B, lost; iso AMES 3x, BO, K, L, LE, NSW 2x, P, Z)
• Bulbophyllum umbonatum Kraenzl., Ann. Naturhist. Hofmus. 30 (1916) 57
  - Type: München-Nymphenburg cult. s.n. (Origin unknown) (holo AMES; type fragm. K ex AMES)
• Bulbophyllum apodum Hook.f. var. lanceolatum Ridl., J. Fed. Malay States Mus. 8 (1917) 94
  - Type: Robinson & Kloss s.n. (Sumatra, Mt. Korinchi, Peak, 7300 ft.)
• Bulbophyllum balapiuense J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 25 (1917) 69
  - Type: Bogor cult. (Exp. van Vuuren, 132, Rachmat) s.n. (Celebes, Mt. Balipioe) (holo BO; iso AMES, L)
• Bulbophyllum humiligibbum J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 3, 9 (1927) 172
  - Type: Jacobson cult. (Groeneveldt) 365 (syn B, also alc.); Bogor cult. II M, d 261
• Bulbophyllum vaginulosum Carr, Gard. Bull. Straits Settlem. 5 (1930) 140, pl. 4, fig. 1
  - Type: Tembeling cult. (Carr) s.n. (Mt. Tahan)
• Bulbophyllum subebulbum Gagnep., Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris), sér. 2, 22 (1950) 402
  - Type: Poilane 22798 (Vietnam, Annam) (holo P)
• Bulbophyllum vidalii Tixier, Adansonia n.s. 6 (1966) 451, fig. 2
  - Type: Tixier 175/65 (holo P)

Epiphyte up to 25 cm high. Rhizome thick, terete, glabrous, with many roots. Roots filiform, elongated, flexuose, glabrous. Pseudobulbs very small. Leaves oblong-ligulate, obtuse, very minutely apiculate, coriaceous, glabrous, 16-23 by 2-3.5 cm; petiole somewhat terete, in front sulcate, 6-8 cm long. Inflorescence rather laxly multi-flowered, racemose, as long as the leaves or shorter; peduncle almost as long as the petiole, terete, glabrous; covered with clasping, acuminate, sheaths which gradually pass in the bracts. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, exceeding the ovary. Median sepal linear, acute, 0.5 cm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, as long as the median sepal; front margin at the base dilated. Petals linear-ligulate, subobtuse, subfalcate, 0.3 cm long. Lip oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, slightly fleshy, 0.4 cm long; base curved, auriculate, with two swellings. Column very short, rather thick, the base with swellings; stelidia short, tooth-like, obtuse; column-foot elongated. Ovary clavate, glabrous, included the short pedicel 0.3-0.4 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1905)

Note: Some records of this species may be referable to the very similar Bulbophyllum unguiculatum Rchb.f. This needs further study.

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