Bulbophyllum medusae [Lindley]Rchb.f 1861 SECTION Medusa Pfitzer 1888 Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name Medusa's Bulbophyllum [Mythological Gorgon with a head of snakes]

Flower Size 6" Long [15 cm]

Looks like fireworks at the 4th of July. Scented flower, small sized, warm to hot grower from Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Lesser Sunda Islands and Sumatra where it is found in lowland forests at elevations of sealevel to 400 meters on trunks and main branches of trees with pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical leaf blooms in the fall and winter on a to 8" [20 cm] long, erect, bracteate inflorescence arising from a newly forming psuedobulb, with an umbellate, fragrant albeit bad, flowers held just beyond leaf height. This species grows well in baskets or pots with hot temperatures, partial shade, regular water and fertilizer and good air circulation.

Synonyms *Cirrhopetalum medusae Lindley 1842; Phyllorchis medusae [Lindley] O. Ktze. 1891

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Malaya Holtum 1953; Notes on Cirrhopetalum Seidenfaden 1973; An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon 1982; Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb & Laurent 1982; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1987; Orchid Genera in Thailand Vol VIII Bulbophyllum Thou. Seidenfaden 1990; Orchids of Borneo Vol 2 Vermeullen 1991; Orchids of Penninsular Malaysia and Singapore Seidenfadden and Wood 1992; A Checklist of the Orchids of Borneo Wood & Cribb 1994; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; A to Z of SE Asian Orchids O'Byrne 2000; A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2001; Bulbophyllums and Their Allies Seigerist 2001; Botanica's Orchids Laurel Glen 2001; Orchids of Sumatra Comber 2001; The Orchids of the Philippines Cootes 2001;