Bulbophyllum lepidum (Blume) J.J.Sm.

Bulbophyllum lepidum, is a species of orchid, in the subfamily Epidendroideae and the genus Bulbophyllum, with the common name: Venus' fan bulbophyllum.

Description

Epiphyte with a woody rhizome and 2 cm (0.79 in) separation between each of its five conical pseudobulbs, of a glossy pale green color, located at 5 unequal angles, each one of the which bears a single apical leaf, erect, oblong, short and obtusely bilobed apically, tapering sharply below to the short petiolate base of the leaf, which flowers in two to three basal inflorescence 15–22 cm (5.9–8.7 in) long, of bright purple with three acute and narrowly lanceolate, concave, reddish-brown tubular bracts bearing 11-13 flowers above the leaf forming an umbel.

This orchid greatly resembles the Bulbophyllum trigonopus. Its flowers cluster in groups of 7 to 10 in a fan like structure. They are mainly red but taper to yellow at the edges.

Distribution

It is native to Hainan island, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in deciduous and evergreen forests on mossy rocks and at the bases of trees at elevations from 300–1,100 m (980–3,610 ft).

Bulbophyllum lepidum (Blume) J.J.Sm. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science