This lovely little Bulbophyllum is a relatively common species in Sarawak and we came across the species in several reserves in Borneo. Flowering in the greenhouse this morning it particularly reminds me of the canopy walkway in Mulu National Park, Sarawak.

In October 2019 students enjoyed a 400m journey through the tree tops of Mulu’s diverse lowland rainforest. (see more of the wonders of Mulu here: Mammals,  Insects, reptiles and amphibians and Paphiopedilum sanderianum)

High above the forest floor and the rivers below we found orchids and Pygmy Squirrels. One of the orchids was Bulbophyllum purpurascens (below) growing on the timber frame of the walkway towers.

This pretty little bulbophyllum has an unlikely name meaning the purple bulbophyllum but this refers to the purplish colour of the leaves not the light yellow flowers!

The species is native to Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia where it grows as an epiphyte in evergreen montane forest from around 900-1700 m and we find it does best mounted or in baskets in our Warm Asia section.