Bulbophyllum longiflorum, Thouars 1822, is accepted species by POWO, Kew. This species is found in Uganda to NE. KwaZulu-Natal, W. Indian Ocean, Bhutan to Pacific.

This orchid known as "Long Flowered Bulbophyllum" or "Pale Umbrella Orchid".

Previous Awards:

There are 18 AOS awards in OrchidPro for Bulbophyllum longiflorum including one nullified award.

Description:

The candidate plant has approximately 191 flowers and 89 buds on 40 arched inflorescences. The plant is 58-cm by 49-cm and grown in 20-cm plastic pot in bark sphagnum moss mix. Plant has approximately 90 growth.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 1.0 cm;                   NS V - 4.1 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 0.8 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 1.0 cm;

Petal W - 0.3 cm;               Petals L - 0.7 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 0.5 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 3.5 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 0.2 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 0.7 cm.

Judges' Comments

Steve Gonzalez-Costa (Accredited Judge, Chicago Judging Center)

Lots of inflorescences on previous awards to this species, maybe not spectacularly presented, but not bad compared to all for the other flowers that were awarded.  Considering first for a flower quality award, my two comparison points was mainly ‘A-doribil’ which received and 82 pt. AM in 2013, ‘Black Spots’ which received a 78 pt. HCC in 2023, and even though a cultural award, I thought that the flowers and umbel of ‘Windswept Fireworks’ which received a CCM of 85 pts was pretty good. The first two flower quality comparisons have quite an even, uniform, better presentation of the flowers and the flowers are unique.  It truly was interesting to see how only the slightly larger flowers that had almost to double the number of flowers per umbel got flower quality awards.  So, with slightly larger flowers our subject flowers do have much lower flower count per umbel (7 versus the more common 12-15) and the presentation is much less consistent when looking at all of the inflorescences with individual flowers twisting differently in every inflorescence which I believe is important.  This discounted the possibility of nominating for a flower quality award.  However, even with the un-evenness of the umbels and individual flowers, it does a good amount of flowers presented around the specimen plant – but very few of these that I have seen in OrchidPro seem to be perfect anyway.  I nominated the plant for a cultural award and it scored at 83 pts for the CCM.

Kris Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

Very clean robust plant, I really like how the inflorescence present just past the leaves, creating a lovely visual cloud around the plant.  Size of plant and number of flowers when compared to other 2 cultural awards is low but number of flowers and number of inflorescences compared to other cultural awards in terms of size of this smaller, more compact fuller plant is better.  I think the differences off set each other, especially with how clean this plant is.  Flowers and buds are in good condition.  I would give this an 83 point CCM.

In terms of a quality award, I really like the color, I especially like how the column and lip contrasts with the dorsal allowing you to see their very interesting structure.  Number of flowers per inflorescence is OK but on the lower end of awarded clones.  I don't like the inconsistencies in the presentation of the umbels and the presentation of the lateral sepals.  I would pass on a quality award.

Jimmy Tan (Student Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Very well grown plant with appealing globular growth pattern and flowers distributed across the spherical plant surface.  Among the various flower forms/patterns in OrchidPro, it seems there’s one form with broader red-spotted sepals where the flowers tend to form more complete umbrels with more flowers per inflorescence, and another one with longer but narrower clear yellow sepals with fewer flowers per inflorescence which the candidate plant seems to be an example of.  The 2 CCM awarded plants are of the red-spotted kind.  The candidate plant has many more inflorescences (40), compared with these other 2 CCM’s (27 and 17) even though it has fewer flowers+buds total compared to the more recently awarded one.  Comparing it against a plant with similar unspotted yellow long-sepals (J.E.M., CHM) which has 8 flowers on 1 inflorescence, shows it to be exemplary for culture – with its 280 flowers/buds over 40 inflorescences.  Candidate plant should be considered for a cultural award.

Joe Bryson (Accredited Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

The Bulbophyllum longiflorum is well-flowered on a clean, healthy, blemish free plant. I find the flowers are not well arranged on many of the inflorescences (difficult to do!) which might preclude a quality score at this time, but the inflorescences are pleasingly arranged on the plant and I could see giving this a Cultural Award in the low 80's. It is comparable in floriferousness to the latest CCM at over 290 flowers and buds.

Virginia Kristo (Student Judge, Pacific Central Judging Center)

Candidate plant is very well grown specimen.  Overall plant is well balanced with many inflorescences and blooms.

In comparing it to previously awarded plants, I had to go to 2012 to find a plant with similar floriferousness.  The 2012 specimen Bulbophyllum longiflorum 'Windswept’s Fireworks’ had 290 flowers compared to our candidate’s 191. 

As for the color, the dorsal, petals and lip are a beautiful shade with delicate spotting. The sepals are a calming shade and not as dramatic.  Some previously awarded plants have fewer flowers, but the flowers have dramatic coloring which causes them to ‘pop'.  This plant’s flowers are more delicate shade.  

Overall, I would expect this flower to score in the mid 80s and I think the plant should be considered for a CCM award due to it’s floriferousness. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Virginia Kristo 

Josephine deBeaubien (Associate Judge, Pacific South Judging Center)

Bulbophyllum longiflorum
The current AOS awards for this species date from 1986 to 2023, and none approach the floriferousness of this candidate plant. Particularly pleasing is the way most of the flowers are held above the foliage, creating a very attractive overall display. While the flowers are slightly smaller than those recorded in past awards, and the side-by-side alignment could be more uniform, these factors detract from consideration for a quality award. However, the plant should be strongly considered for a cultural award. It is well grown, with clean foliage and no visible damage.

Best regards,

Jojo

Paul Wetter (Senior Judge, West Palm Beach Judging Center)

Thanks for submitting this very nice specimen of Bulb. longiflorum. It is a very attractive, well grown plant that may qualify for a culture award now or in future blooms. The floriferousness is as to be expected, but could be better with future growth. Flower fullness does not seem quite as robust as it could be based on previous awards. I have not judged a lot of these, so would be very interested in what other judges can add to the discussion. My thoughts would be to encourage further growth and bring back for upgrade of culture award. 

Best Regards

Lara Ginzburg (Student Judge, Mid-Atlantic Judging Center)

Bulbophyllum longiflorum is a spices with 18 awards between 1986 and 2023 with 2 AM, 5 HCC, 3 CCM, 6 CHM and 2 CBR. 

Candidate is a mature plant and, in most cases, larger or equal to the awarded plants. Flower and buds are situated all around the plant and make a pleasant display. In flower count subject superior to all other awarded plants.

Natural spread of flowers within the medium range and at around 4mm. Basal spikes are topped with five to seven flowers positioned in a semi-circular umbrella,  pale-yellow dorsal sepals and petals nicely contrasted with reddish-pink lateral sepals. Color wise flowers are most similar to the plants awarded on January 26, 2002 and May 22, 2013.

I would consider a cultural award and give candidate plant score of 85 points.

Deb Jenson (Student Judge, Chicago Judging Center)

This is certainly a well-grown plant. It's impressive to see such a clean plant with well-distributed flowering throughout. 

The flowers have incomplete umbels with great color: pink on the dorsal and spotting on the sepals, combined with golden-yellow on the lip, making them quite attractive. I do wish they were arranged better for a more uniform shape.

Compared to past CCM awards, there was a CCM 85 awarded to 'Windswept's Fireworks' in 2012. That plant had 249 flowers, but it was considerably larger at 96 cm x 120 cm. This plant has 191 flowers but is about half the size at only 58 cm x 49 cm. Making this a very floriferous specimen.

I would nominate this for a CCM and score it in the mid 80s range.

Deb Jenson

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Nicely grown, clean plant with good flower count circumferentially evenly distributed. Should be qualify for CCM perhaps 81-83.

Sergey: Ask Bill Thoms to comment on why there is so much disparity in the AOS record on the form and other qualities of this species.

Does he think all of the awards are, indeed, the same species. Only two were confirmed (one nullified) by SITF (1) or a taxonomist (Garay).

Many botanical awards have no taxonomic confirmation in the award description.

Bill Thoms (Bulbophyllums.com)

I have felt for a long time that any species purported to grow across a long distance (say 1000 miles) would be either completely similar (with minor variations) or was not. If not, then it was probably more than one species. That is the instance here with Bulb. longiflorum. Probably the ones from Africa are one species (the pale, straight laterals with more or less spots in straw shades I think are one form of longiflorum and the colorful, brightly-colored laterals are another); and the ones in dark pink with distinct spots, complete umbels and recurved laterals are probably annamense (in my opinion). 

Garay described Cirr. roseopunctatum in 1995, but since there was a Bulb. roseopunctatum already from 1913, he changed it to Cirr. annamense in 1999.

Then changed again to Bulb. annamense in 2009. One of his last descriptions.

Here is my take on the awards listed in AOS for longiflorum:

‘Black Spots’ is hard to tell, might be correct

‘A-doribil’ 

‘Rainbow’

‘J.E.M.’ 

‘Fiji Fire’    are correct

All the rest are annamense except:

‘Tower Grove’ which is dentiferum

‘Wappingers Falls’ which is annandalei

‘Vera Cruz’ (no idea)

This is all my opinion, for what it's worth.

You're doing a wonderful job, thank you.

Bill

Exhibitor - Sergey and Elena Skoropad (Accredited Judges, Northeast Judging Center, NJ)

Virtual Award Description

Grower's Advice