Common name: Red Rope Orchid
Bulbophyllum schillerianum Rchb.f. APNI* Synonyms: Bulbophyllum aurantiacum F.Muell. APNI* Oxysepala schilleriana (Rchb.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. APNI*
Description: Epiphyte with rhizomes prostrate basally but pendent for most of their length, not forming a mat; pseudobulbs mostly 10–30 mm apart, depressed-globose to depressed-cylindrical, 2–4 mm diam., smooth.
Leaves narrow-oblong to elliptic or oblanceolate, 1.5–10 cm long, 8–25 mm wide, succulent, much bulkier than the inconspicuous pseudobulbs, channelled on upper surface.
Inflorescence (axis plus pedicel) 0.3–0.4 cm long, 1-flowered. Ovary smooth. Sepals white with orange to red tips; dorsal sepal 3–7 mm long, narrow-triangular; lateral sepals similar to dorsal sepal, usually coherent almost to tips. Lateral petals about a third as long as dorsal sepal, colourless. Labellum deep orange.
Flowering: throughout year but mostly March–July.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows on rainforest trees; north of the Hunter R., from sea level to c. 1000 m alt.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by P. H. Weston Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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