The orchid flora of Myanmar is highly diverse but as yet poorly known in the continental Asia. Myanmar is one of the diversity centers, contains about 109 species of this genus Bulbophyllum Thouars, the largest genus of Orchidaceae.

  During the field expeditions in the Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern Myanmar, carried out by the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) in cooperation with the Forest Department, Union of Myanmar Ministry of Forestry, one unusual species of Bulbophyllum had been discovered.

  After undertaking a comprehensive literatures and herbarium specimen review, it was identified as a new species and named as Bulbophyllum putaoensis.

  Morphologically, Bulbophyllum putaoensis is similar to B. umbellatum and share the umbellate inflorescence, twist lateral sepals and column with triangular wings, but differs from it by having lanceolate petals, oblong anther cap (anther cap subglobose in B. umbellatum ) and significant viscidium of pollinarium.

  It is also similar to B. chyrmangensis and B. salweenensis in having an elliptic-oblong leaves, sheathed pseudobulbs, purple-spotted flowers and winged column.

  However, the pinkish yellow flower, petals with widely ovate with papillose margin and ovoid anther cap in B. chyrmangensis differ from B. putaoensis; B. salweenensis has the lanceolate and denticulate petals, lip with a longitudinal pink ridge and pollinarium without viscidium significantly distinguish with the B. putaoensis.

  This new species was only found in the Kachin State, Myanmar. It is epiphytic on the tree in tropical mountain rain forest.

  The new orchid species has been published in Phytotaxa.

Contact

LIU Qiang Ph.D

Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
E-mail: liuq@xtbg.org.cn

Bulbophyllum putaoensis. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. Front view of flower. D. Dissected flower. E. Lip. F. anther cap G.Front view of column. H. Pollinarium (Photographed by Q. Liu).

Bulbophyllum putaoensis. A. Front view of Lip. B. Lateral view of column. C. Ventral view of Lip. D. Lateral view of Lip. E.Front view of basal Lip (Photographed by Q. Liu).