Bulbophyllum pseudoconiferum W.Suarez & Cootes SECTION Brachystachyae Benth. & Hook. f. 1883

Photo by Irma and The Orchid Source Website

Common Name The False Coniferum Bulbophyllum

Flower Size .12" [3 mm]

Found in the Philippines at elevations around 1400 meters as a mini-miniature sized, cool growing epiphyte with close set, ovoid to barrel shaped, dark green often suffused or striated with purplish brown pseudobulb carrying a single, apical, flat to arching, very thick, heavy, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, obtusovatee, petiolate base leaf that blooms on an erect, basal, dull greenish brown, peduncle to 9.6" [24 cm] long, rachis to 1.68" [4.3 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence carrying flowers with a faint unpleasant odor.

This species differs from the similar B coniferum by the flower color [in B coniferum it is cream to purple with brown-purple spots and the lip is yellowish to pale green], the raised labellum ridges that are parellel to one another [in B coniferum are lower labellum ridges that form a "V" shape when viewed from above], and the non ciliate margin to the sepals are compared to the B pseudoconiferum sepals that have tiny hairs on the lower margins and the shape of the stelida which although acute in both species, B psedoconiferum differs in the low, rounded keel on its upper margin and the small, obtuse tooth on its lower half. The leaves of the 2 species differ as well with B coniferum having sub acute apice and the B pseudoconiferum leaf blade is comparatively broader and rounder with acute apices.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Philippine Native Orchid Species Cootes 2011 photo fide;

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