Bulbophyllum mirabile Hallier 1896 SECTION Hirtula Ridley 1908
Flowers near top of inflorescence
Photos by P Jongejan/TYPE Drawing by J J Vermeulen and Gard. Bull. Singapore 54: 136 J J Verm. 2002
TYPE Drawing by © Hallier And The Plant Illustrations Website
Common Name The Stinking Bulbophyllum
Flower Size
Found in Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah Borneo in forests at eelvations of 200 to 300 meters as a small sized, hot growing epiphyte with unique dimorphic flowers. The ovoid-conical pseudobulbs carry a single, apical, erect, elliptic, rounded leaf that blooms on a pendulous, elongate, peduncle .8 to 3.6" [2 to 9 cm] long, with 2 to 3 scales, the rachis is slightly papillose, the basal part spindle shaped gradually tapering into a cylindrical apical part. The basal part has flowers different than the apical part, 4.41" to 11.6" [11.3 to 29 cm] long overall, lax, successively many, 75 to 120 flowered inflorescence carrying mostly dimorphic flowers.
"The only Bulbophyllum with dimorphic flowers. The two forms occupy separate parts of the rhachis: a short transitional area carries a few flowers of intermediate shape. The flowers along the basal part of the rhachis seem to be fertile: those along the top part often (not always) have a malformed and incomplete column with neither pollinia nor stigma. In such flowers, the lip and the petals may be immovably fused with the column. Near the tip of the rhachis the flowers gradually but conspicuously decrease in size." J J Vermeulen 2002
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; A Checklist of the Orchids of Borneo J J Woods & P J Cribb 1994; Gard. Bull. Singapore 54: 136 J J Verm. 2002 drawing fide; Genera Orchidacearum Vol 6 Epidendroideae Pt 3 Pridgeon, Cribb Chase & Ramussen 2014; Bulbophyllum of Borneo J J Verm, P O'Byrne and Lamb 2015 photos/drawing fide;
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