Bulbophyllum is among the largest genera in the orchid family, consisting of 2200 species in the world. 

During a botanical survey to Bomi County, Tibet, China in November 2017, some plants of Bulbophyllum with young inflorescence were transferred to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), and flowered on December 18, 2017. 

XTBG researchers carried out morphological studies and consulted a large amount of literature. They confirmed that the flowering Bulbophyllum plant is new to science. They named it as Bulbophyllum yarlungzangboense to refer to Yarlungzangbo Grand Canyon where it was discovered. 

The new species has been published in Phytotaxa.  

Bulbophyllum yarlungzangboense is epiphytic on trees or moss rocks near riverside in Yarlungzangbo Grand Canyon, with elevation 1700–2100 m. It flowers from November to December. 

Morphologically, Bulbophyllum yarlungzangboense is similar to B. gamblei and B. shweliense, but differs from them by conical pseudobulbs, shorter leaves, V-shape cushion on column foot, etc. 

Based on morphological characters, XTBG researchers tentatively assigned the new species to sect. Desmosanthes. 

Contact 

LI Jianwu 

Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China  

E-mail: ljw@xtbg.org.cn