Bulbophyllum pileatum

Bulbophyllum pileatum

(Lindley) 

Section: Sestochilus

Geographic Distribution: Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra.  

Elevation/ Temperature: sea level- 200m lowland swamp forest/ hot- warm growing species.

Plant Type: epiphytic.

Growing Habit: sympodial

Cultivation Treatment: mounted on fern slab.

Flowering Month(s) in Singapore: October- November.

Flowering Period: 7 days.

Flower Colour: orangey petal with brown marking on long slender lip. 

Flower Scent: odor scented.

Flower Count: single flower per inflorescence.

This bulbophyllum has bloomed in mid October and early November 2011. Although the first bloom lasted only 1 day, the orchid produced another flower after a few weeks.

First bloom only lasted 1 day, as the pollen was 'harvested' by insect.

Star shaped flower of the second bloom.

The flower folded up the three sepals for an early night- Zzzzzz. (right photo)

I have observed that the plant folded up its sepals on the first night of its bloom (above), however, the flower sepals 'unfold' back on the next day (below).

Another interesting observation is the orchid's lateral sepal would start to point backward permanently on the subsequent 2nd-3rd day of flowering. Now the form of the flower would appeared more triangular than star shaped (below).

Close-up of the long slender 'tongue'