Bulbophyllum medusae

Bulbophyllum medusae

R(Lindley) Rchb.f. 1861

Section Corymbosa (Bl) Avery.1994

  

Flower buds waiting for the 'big hair' day

Cluster of flower buds




This spectacular orchid, Bulbophyllum medusae or common known as 'Medusa's Bulbophyllum' with snake or mop-like flower with reference to Gorgon Medusa's head of snakes (as featured in Greek's tale  'Clash of The Titans').

It is a warm to hot growing lowland Bulbophyllum species and its habitat range from Malaysia, Thailand to Indonesia. It is also a native orchid of Singapore, but now the orchid is quite rare due to urbanization.

Bulbophyllum abbreviatum

Bulbophyllum abbreviatum

Rchb.f 1881 Section: Cirrhopetalum

This is another delighting warm growing bulbophyllum species (石豆兰 in chinese) from the lowland forest of West Malaysia (formerly Malaya) and northeastern Madagascar. Similarly to the flower of bulbophyllum lepidum, its inflorescence is also arranged in umbel and variable in the color intensity. The color of its sepal ranges from pinkish red to brown.

Bulbophyllum curtisii var. lutescens

Bulbophyllum curtisii var. lutescens

Garay 1999. Section: Cirrhopetalum

This species with flowers arranged in a umbrella or fan shape, is a distinct characteristic of bulbophyllum under the section of cirrhopetalum. The typical color of bulbophyllum curtisii is purplish red, however this particular variety have a unique yellow colour. 

Flower: Close-up view

Bulbophyllum lepidum

 

Bulbophyllum lepidum 

(BI.) J.J.Sm. Section: Cirrhopetalum

This hot growing lowland bulbophyllum species is easy to grow even in a high-rise apartment. Hence, this plant is a very suitable candidate for beginners with tight space constraint. 

There is some variation in the color intensity of the lateral sepal from pink to dark maroon red, depending on their country origin, which ranges from Thailand, Malaysia to Indonesia. This 'fused' sepal act as a landing platform for its pollinator (flies).

The flower emits a distinct foul smell that may put off some growers. However the odor does not deter me from growing the orchid, as I regard it as a distinct characteristic of this genus.