Jim Cootes & Dr. Wolfgang Rysy
 The type plant of Bulbophyllum betchei F.Muell. (sect. Polymeres) was collected by the German orchid collector Ernst BETCHE on Samoa and this species was named in his honour. The small epiphyte has a patent to pendolous, sparsely branched rhozome, which is up to 10 cm long. The red-brown striped flowers appear from the base of the pseudobulbs and are about 1.2 cm across the widest point. It is a most attractive plant. This is a widely distributed species, which has been found in Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, the Carolines, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa. In the Philippines it has been found on the island of Leyte and Samar, where it grows as an epiphyte at elevations of about 600 m.  Bulbophyllum canlaonense Ames (sect. Minutissima) was described from plants collected on the active vocano, Mount Kanlaon, which is on the island of Negros. It was named after this volcano. There is considerable variation in the colouration of this species. The first author has seen flowers which are golden brown and others which are claret red. It is endemic to the Philippines and has been recorded from Benguet province on Luzon, the islands of Leyte, Negros, Panay and Samar in the Visayan Sea, as well as Bukidnon and Misamis on Mindanao, where it grows as an epiphyte on the branches and trunks of trees at elevations of between 1300 and 2300 m.  This exquisite (= lat. exquisitus) miniature plant has beautiful, large flowers about 1.5 cm across. Bulbophyllum exquisitum Ames (sect. Macrocaulia) is endemic to the Philippines and has been recorded from the Mountain province; the island of Leyte in the Visayan Sea; and the province of Misamis Oriental on Mindanao, where it grows as an epiphyte at elevations above 2000 m.  Bulbophyllum lipense Ames (sect. Hybochilus) appears to be closely related to Bulbophyllum colubrimodum, but differs in the broader, shorter floral segments. The specific epithet refers to Mount Lipa in Bukidnon province, where the type specimens were collected. It is endemic to the Philippines and is only known from the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis on the island of Mindanao where it grows as an epiphyte at elevations of around 1200 m.  Bulbophyllum ovalifolium (Blume) Lindl. (sect. Macrocaulia), with small pseudobulbs and more or less oval leaves (= lat. ovalifolius) is a most delightful species with its brightly coloured blooms up to 2 cm diameter. The colour is extremly variable ranging from bright yellow, to orange, and dull red. The hair like inflorescence is about 6 cm long and carries only a single flower, which stands well above the foliage. It is a widley spread species and it has been recorded from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi (Celebes), and Borneo. In the Philippines, it is known from the island of Biliran; the provinces of northern Mindanao; and Palawan, where it grows as an epiphyte at elevations over 500 m.  Bulbophyllum restrepia (Ridl.) Ridl. (sect. Hoplandra) was first (1893) described as Cirrhopetalum restrepia, which stretches definitions of that genus to the limit. The epiphet makes reference to the similarity with flowers of the genus Restrepia. It is a widely distributed species, which has been recorded from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo Maluku (the Moluccas) and New Guinea. In the Philippines it is known from the island of Samar; and the north on Mindanao, where it grows asa an epiphyte at elevations of about 300 m. Photos by J. Cootes, R. Boos & W. Suarez | Abstract: The Genus Bulbophyllum is represented, in the Philippines, by at least 130 species. Many of the species have large flowers, but there are just as many that have small, but still very showy blooms. It is these miniatures which we wish to introduce here.  Bulbophyllum boosii J.J.Verm. & Kindler (sect. Polymeres) has recently been found on northern Mindanao and only named three years ago. The origin of the type plant is not known, but Mr. Ronny BOOS shares a photo of a different plant from Samar. This species was named in his honour. The whole plant is only 4 - 5 cm tall. The blooms are 1.5 cm large and a most attractive yellow in colour, the labellum is in the front area almost black, which makes a very nice contrast. There is a form of this species, which occurs on the island of Sibuyan that has black petals. The plants from Samar were found at about 600 m elevation, whereas those from northern Mindanao come from about 1200 m.  Bulbophyllum colubrimodum Ames (sect. Hybochilus) is endemic to the Philippines and has been recorded from the islands of Mindoro and Leyte, the provinces of Misamis and Zamboanga on Mindanao. The specific epithet refers to the apex of the labellum, which in some positions, resembles the head of a snake, about to strike. This is also a very variable species in its colouration. The flowers are non-resupinate (having the labellum uppermost). It grows as an epiphyte at elevations of about 600 m.  Bulbophyllum halconense Ames (sect. Minutissima) is named after Mount Halcon, on the Island of Mindoro, which is reputably one of the most treacherous mountains in the Philippines. The plant has conical pseudobulbs that have a wrinkled appearance. The flowers are about 3 cm in height. It is endemic to the Philippines and has also been recorded from Zambales province on Luzon; and Mount Halcon in the north of the island of Mindoro, where it grows as an epiphyte on the branches and trunks of trees at elevations of between 1500 and 2500 m.  Bulbophyllum mindorense Ames (sect. Minutissima) is barely 3 cm tall, but it carries flowers, which are more than 2 cm in diameter. The inflorescence extends well past the foliage and can appear from either the base of the pseudobulb or along the rhizome. It has been recored from southern Luzon, the islands of Mindoro (named after this island), Leyte and the province of Misamis Oriental on Mindanao.  Bulbophyllum peramoenum Ames (sect. Minutissima) is a most delightful species (= lat. peramoenus), with its whisker-like petals and amazing labellum, the tip of which has the appearance of insect eggs, or white aphids. When the first author first saw the tip of the labellum he thought it had been nibbled on by a snail or slug. It is endemic to the Philippines and has been found on the islands of Mindoro and Leyte, the provinces of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao, where it grows as an epiphyte at elevations of about 1200 m.  Bulbophyllum rubrolingue Cootes et Boos (sect. Polymeres) is a most beautiful species with a large flower about 5 cm in height. The blooms open widley and are most pleasantly coloured; the tongue-shaped lip is red (lat. rubrolingua). It is endemic to the Philippines and is only known from the island of Leyte in the Visayan Sea, where it grows in rain forest, at elevations of around 600 m. |
