Bulbophyllum cylindraceum Lindley Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. 53. 1830.

大苞石豆兰 da bao shi dou lan

Phyllorkis cylindracea (Lindley) Kuntze.

Rhizome creeping, stout, 5-6 mm in diam. Pseudobulbs spaced, 5-7 mm apart from each other, very small, 3-5 mm, 3-4 mm in diam., rigid, with a terminal leaf. Petiole 4-7 cm; leaf blade erect, elliptic-oblong or obovate-lanceolate, 15-25 × 2-4 cm, fleshy or leathery, apex obtuse and apiculate. Scape from base of pseudobulb, erect, 15-25 cm; raceme pendulous, to 6.5 cm, densely many flowered, with an involucre at base; involucre spathelike, large, ca. 25 × 7 mm; peduncle with 2 or 3 tubular sheaths 2-2.5 cm; floral bracts ovate, small, ca. 4 mm. Pedicel and ovary ca. 3 mm. Flowers pale purple, thickly textured, not widely opening. Dorsal sepal ovate-triangular, ca. 5 × 2.2 mm, abaxially ± scaly, apex acute; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, ca. 5 × 3 mm, abaxially ± scaly, their lower edges connate to each other except apices, apex obtuse. Petals oblong-lanceolate, 2-4.4 × ca. 1.5 mm, thinly textured, entire, acute or obtuse; lip recurved, ligulate, ca. 3.5 × 2 mm, fleshy, grooved at base, adaxially with 3 keels, densely papillate, apex obtuse. Column ca. 0.6 mm, stout; foot very short, without conspicuous free part; stelidia narrowly fusiform, ca. 1 mm; anther cap truncate and slightly apiculate at apex. Fl. Nov. 2n = 38, 40, 42.

Tree trunks or rocks in forests; 1400-2400 m. W to SE Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Nepal].