Bulbophyllum maximum (Lindl.) Rchb. f. |
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Protologue : Ann. Bot. Syst. (Walpers) 6: 259 (1861)  |
Information on the genus : Bulbophyllum |
Basionym : Megaclinium maximum Lindl. |
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Status
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Status for TA : | accepted (present) |
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Synonym(s) Homotypic |
Bulbophyllum maximum (Lindl.) Rchb. f. var. maximum |
Bulbophyllum oxypterum (Lindl.) Rchb. f. |
Bulbophyllum maximum var. oxypterum (Lindl.) Perez-Vera (2003) |
Megaclinium maximum Lindl. (1830) |
Megaclinium oxypterum Lindl. (1839) |
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Synonym(s) Heterotypic |
=Bulbophyllum ciliatum Schltr. (1906) |
=*Bulbophyllum maximum auct. |
=Megaclinium flaccidum Hook. |
=Megaclinium djumaense De Wild. |
=Bulbophyllum djumaense (De Wild.) De Wild. |
=Bulbophyllum platyrhachis (Rolfe) Schltr. |
=Megaclinium platyrhachis Rolfe (1897) |
=Megaclinium purpuratum Lindl. (1862) |
=Bulbophyllum nyassanum Schltr. (1915) |
=Bulbophyllum cyrtopetalum Schltr. |
=Bulbophyllum djumaense var. grandifolium De Wild. |
=Bulbophyllum moireanum Hawkes |
=Bulbophyllum oxypterum var. mozambicense (Finet) De Wild. |
=Megaclinium oxypterum var. mozambicense Finet |
=Bulbophyllum subcoriaceum De Wild. (1921) |
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Taxon infra-specific |
Bulbophyllum maximum (Lindl.) Rchb. f. var. maximum |
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Ecology and distribution |
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Biology : |
Epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic, robust herb; pseudobulbs 2-10 cm apart, 2(-3)-leaved, ovoid, 3,5-10x1-3 cm, flattened, 3-5-angled, angles knobby; leaves petiolate (1-12 mm), oblong to linear-lanceolate, 3,8-20x1,3-5,5 cm, thick; inflorescence erect, 15-90 cm long, 16-20-flowered; peduncle erect, swollen towards tip, 6-42 cm long; rachis flattened, blade-like, 6-56 cm long, 0,5-5 cm wide, yellowish or greenish, often spotted with purple, edges sharp, straight to undulate; bracts spreading-reflexed, elliptic, 2,5-7x2-4 mm; flowers distichous, borne on a median or excentric line, yellow or greenish, spotted with purple; sepals recurved, lanceolate, acuminate, 4-8x1-3,5 mm; petals not recurved, lanceolate, 2-3x0,3-0,8 mm; lip recurved, oblong, 1,5-3x0,7-1,4 mm, glabrous, fleshy. |
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Ecology : |
Primary and secondary forest; gallery forest; open woodland; Brachystegia or Aucoumea-Brachystegia woodland; mixed deciduous woodland; on, e.g., Eucalyptus in mixed forest, Carapa grandiflora, Persea americana, etc.; 0-1900 m alt. |
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A natural hybrid B. maximum x B. scaberulum var. scaberulum is reported from E Zimbabwe by Vermeulen (1987): 100-101, and by Fibeck & Mavi (in Kirkia 17: 147-149, 2001). |
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Bioko/Fernando Poo, S. Tomé, Príncipe (Acta Bot. Gall. 147: 170, 2000; Bothalia 41: 63, 2011), Annobón (Fragm. Florist. Geobot. 43/1: 21, 1998; Phytotaxa 171: 23, 2014). – Ethiopia ? (not in Fl. Eth. & Eritrea 6, 1997). |
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Shape and colour of rachis very variable; “although at first sight the forms look very different, the flowers are identifical” (la Croix & al., Orchids Malawi: 203, 1991). “Too many intermediate plants [B. maximum-B. oxypterum-B. platyrhachis incl.] are found which blur the distinctions based on rachis shape and marginal undulation” (Cribb in Fl. Trop. E. Afr., l.c.). – However, Fibeck & Phiri (in S. Afric. Orchid J. 28/2: 38-41, 1997) consider B. platyrhachis as distinct from B. maximum. |
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More info on : |
see under Jstor_African Plant Initiative |
see under Flore d'Afrique Centrale |
see under Fgui |
see under The International Plant Name Index |
see under Flora of Mozambique |
see under Orchidées d'Afrique Centrale |
see under Flora of Zimbabwe |
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Map |
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More information >> ( work in progress )
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Record n°175916 modified 2007-04-05 |
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