Bulbophyllum kermesinum Ridl. 1886 SECTION Hyalosema Schlechter 1911
Photo by © Bryan Ramsay and his P Base Orchid Species Photo Website
Photos by © Eric Hunt
Common Name The Carmine-Red Bulbophyllum
Flower Size
Found in Papua New Guinea as a miniature to small sized, warm growing epiphyte with a woody rhizome giving rise to well spaced, narrowly cylindrical pseudobulbs carrying a single, erect, spathulate, obtuse, coriaceous leaf that blooms on a slender, arising on the rhizome some distance from the pseudobulb, a 2” [5 cm] long, provided with 2 to 4 terete, membranous apiculate, distant peduncle-scales, single flowered inflorescence with basally widened floral bracts.
This orchid and B unitubum are quite close at a casual glance but a more detailed examination of the petals, lip and column reveals that this species has tear drop shaped terminations {see first photo by Brian Ramsay] to the petals and B unitubum has very globular terminations.
CAUTION Similar to the photo in Siegerist 2001 but this flower has much wider sepals and petals so please use with caution!!!
Synonyms Hapalochilus kermesinus (Ridl.) Garay & W.Kitt. 1985 publ. 1986
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchidaceae of German New Guinea Schlechter 1914/1985; Bulbophyllum and Their Allies Siegerist 2001 photo hmm; Bulbophyllum and Their Allies Siegerist 2001 as B unitubum not = B kernesianum photo fide; Bulbophyllum: Orchid Digest Vol 73 #3 2009 photo fide; the incomplete Guide From A to why? Bill Thoms 2009 photo not = B unitubum; Bulbophyllum: the incomplete Guide From A to why? Bill Thoms 2009 photo of B unitubulm not fide as B kermsianum;
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