Bulbophyllum scaberulum var. scaberulum - close up

This species is found all across tropical equatorial Africa in lowland rainforest and semedeciduous forest, occasionally in secondary forest up to 2300m alt. Often found exposed on tree trunks or in the crown of trees, occasionally lithophytic.

There are three varieties of this species, the image from pawpaw is B.scaberulum var scaberulum the close up image shown is also of this variety. The other two varieties are: var fuerstenbergianum with smaller flowers and a less swollen rhachis and var crotalicaudatum; with the flowers all white or very deep purple with the top part of the lateral sepals, distinctly and very adruptly bent downwards.

(ref:JJ Vermeullen 'A Taxonomic Revision of The Continental African Bulbophyllinae' Volume 2).

All the species from the section 'Megaclinium' are very interesting.
bernabu