Botanical name: Bulbophyllum gopalianum    Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)

Lurh Bulb-Leaf Orchid is a tree-dwelling orchid with pseudobulbs ovoid, 1.0-1.5 cm long, 1.7-1.9 cm wide, green to yellowish-green, with smooth surface in young stage, wrinkled when mature, placed on the top of rhizome, 1-4 cm apart, bearing two leaves at tip. It is named for Prof. Gopal Singh Rawat, formerly at Wildlife Institute of India. Leaves are 2, inverted-lanceshaped, 5.5-7.0 cm long, about 0.9-1.2 cm wide, blunt at tip, stalkless, leathery, deciduous, absent during flowering. Flowers do not open fully, are 0.9-1.1 x 1.2-1.4 cm wide, upside down, not-one-sided, hairless, sepals and petals pale yellowish-white, lip dark yellow; dorsal sepal lanceshaped, 7.5-8.0 mm long, up to 2.0 mm wide, pointed; lateral sepals obliquely lanceshaped, 8.0-8.5 mm long, 2.0 mm wide, pointed. Petals are obliquely lanceshaped, slightly curved downwards, 3.0-3.5 mm long, 1.0-1.3 mm wide, pointed, slightly tapering and fleshy towards tip. Lip is ovate, without side lobes, 3.3-3.4 mm long, 1.2-1.3 mm wide, blunt, fleshy, slightly grooved along the length towards the base; column short, stout, 1.3-1.5 mm long, 1.5-1.6 mm wide. Flower clusters arise from the base of pseudobulbs, 8-12 cm long; flower-cluster-stalk 4-5 cm long, 0.8-0.9 mm wide, round, bearing up to two sterile bracts; sterile bracts ovate, 4.0-5.5 mm long, blunt, rounded at tip, semi-transparent, bearing up to 35 densely placed flowers in the upper 2/3rd of its length. Flower-stalk and ovary are club-shaped; flower-stalk round, 3.0-3.5 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, dark green; ovary club-shaped, with ribbed surface, 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.0-1.4 mm wide, yellowish-green. Lurh Bulb-Leaf Orchid is known only from Mizoram at altitudes of 1600-1800 m. Flowering: March-April.

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The flower labeled Lurh Bulb-Leaf Orchid is ...