Bulbophyllum physometrum

[AnonYMouse]

My camera isn't good enough to capture the details.
The balloon like structure is ~23mm
The beadlike flowers are ~2.3mm and the lip is articulated!


Can't take credit, acquired this past February.

[jcec1]

Very unusual, do you know what purpose the "balloon" serves?

[Bulbopedilum]

Wow! What an unusual and alien bloom! This is probably way up there on the "weird orchid blooms" list.

Originally Posted by jcec1

Very unusual, do you know what purpose the "balloon" serves?

I believe the structure's function is not known yet.

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by jcec1

Very unusual, do you know what purpose the "balloon" serves?

I don't know. There isn't that much information out there and I don't know if any animal interactions/pollination have been observed (How long did it take for Angraecum sesquipedale pollination to be observed?).

Feel free to track down the taxa-paper (and any other relevant info) and post the link here.

[bethmarie]

That's awesome! How are you growing it?

[RustyExotics]

Amazing! I acquired my own little specimen of Bulbophyllum physometrum earlier this year, and I've got my fingers crossed that It'll flower some time this year. Really beautiful, weird flowers. I love them

-Nicholas

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by bethmarie

That's awesome! How are you growing it?

I'm growing it in intermediate temps under very low-Catt/high Phal lights. It's on a pad of sphag on tree fern, never completely dry.

[No-Pro-mwa]

That is one strange flower, I love it.