Bulbophyllum tetratropis J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel 2018 SECTION Brachypus Schlechter 1913

TYPE Drawing by © J J Vermuelen

LATER

Common Name The Four Keeled Bulbophyllum [refers to the 4 keels on the lip]

Flower Size .4" x .8" [1 x 2 cm] wide x long

Found in the Solomon Islands in mossy primary forests at elevations around 1900 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphyte with .2" to .28 [.8 to 1.4 cm] between each distinct, clustered, erect, ovoid pseudobulb carrying a single, apical, erect, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, acuminate, petiolate base leaf that blooms in the later spring on 1 to a fascile of many, basal, peduncle .48" [1.2 cm] long, provided with 2 scales, 3.6 to 4.4" [9 to 11 cm] long overall, single flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying a flower with pale yellow, veined and suffused with red towards the apex sepals, pale yellow green petals and a dark red adaxially and yellow abaxially with a green column.

Similar to Bulbophyllum chionanthum but differs in the larger lip and the ciliolate lip margins. In contrast B tetratropis has a smaller lip with glabrous margins.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of the Solomon Islands and Bougainville Lewis & Cribb 1991 as B cerinum; *Malesian Orchid Journal Vol 21 2018 J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel drawing/photo fide

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