Bulbophyllum scaberulum
There are roughly only 70 species of bulbophyllums in Africa, they are not showy and gregarious as their South East Asian cousins, but are interesting on closer examination. I like to think of them as more refined and classy. Others have told they are “bloody boring”. Although I have to admit the flowers are rather small and inconspicuous though.
This group of “boring bulbos” falls into the section Megaclimium and is particularly distinctive by the unusual rachis which is usually swollen, flat and colour deep purple or orange with the flowers arising on either side of the rachis.
Members of this section Megaclimium are only confined to Africa.
Both the rhachis and flowers in Bulbo scaberulum are a deeper purple colour which does quite come out in the photos though.
I have seem very large specimens of Bulbo scaberulum and Bulbo maximum growing in their natural habitat. Boring or not, please enjoy it because the sadly habitat in which these marvellous plants live is disappearing FAST.
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