# Bulbophyllum beccarii
**Bulbophyllum beccarii** Rchb.f. is a large, climbing epiphytic orchid in the family [Orchidaceae](https://www.edgepedia.org/orchidaceae), native to Borneo, where it grows on large trees in swamp and lowland forests[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1) • [2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). It was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach filius and first published in *Gardeners' Chronicle*, new series, volume 11, page 41, in 1879[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1). The species is best known for its enormous creeping rhizome, its cup-shaped leaves that trap falling debris as fertilizer, and the foul, rotting-flesh scent of its flowers[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Bulbophyllum beccarii* Rchb.f., first published in Gard. Chron., n.s., 11: 41 (1879); accepted species[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1) |
| Native range | Borneo; a pseudobulbous epiphyte of the wet tropical biome[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1) |
| Habitat | On large trees in swamp and lowland forests at altitudes of 0 to 600 m[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134) |
| Vegetative form | Stout, bristly creeping rhizome; square pseudobulbs at 15 to 20 cm intervals; leathery cup-shaped leaves up to about 50 cm long[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134) |
| Flowers | Light pink sepals and petals with dark pink flecks, 15 to 18 mm wide, on a dense cylindrical to ball-shaped inflorescence, with a pungent decaying-flesh odor[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134) |
| Synonym | *Phyllorkis beccarii* (Rchb.f.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 677 (1891)[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1) |
| Cultivation | About 70% shade, large space, best mounted on a log or tree bark; unlikely to flower unless large and well established[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134) |
## Taxonomy and naming
The species belongs to the vast pantropical genus *Bulbophyllum* within the orchid family, and Kew's Plants of the World Online accepts it as a distinct species, following among other authorities the checklist *Bulbophyllum of Borneo* by Jaap Vermeulen, Paul O'Byrne, and Anthony Lamb (2015)[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1). In 1891 the German botanist Otto Kuntze moved the species to the genus *Phyllorkis*, creating the homotypic synonym *Phyllorkis beccarii*; the original combination remains the accepted name[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1).
The epithet *beccarii* honors Odoardo Beccari (1843 to 1920), the Italian botanist who collected in Borneo from 1865 to 1866, sampling more than 30,000 plants, and who later explored [New Guinea](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-guinea) three times before becoming director of the botanical garden and museum at Florence[3](https://plantillustrations.org/epithet.php?id_epithet=213920&limit=52&mobile=3&offset=0&query_type=epithet&size=1). An early botanical illustration of the species appeared as plate 6567 in volume 107 of Curtis's *Botanical Magazine* in 1881, drawn by Matilda Smith[3](https://plantillustrations.org/epithet.php?id_epithet=213920&limit=52&mobile=3&offset=0&query_type=epithet&size=1).
## Description
**Growth habit.** The plant climbs by means of a stout creeping rhizome covered with bristles, which advances along the bark of a host tree[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). Along the stem, at intervals of 15 to 20 cm, sit stout, square pseudobulbs, each bearing a single leathery, cup-shaped leaf that can reach approximately 50 cm in length[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134).
**Detritus trapping.** The cup-shaped leaves are shaped so as to catch falling detritus, which serves as a source of nutrients for the plant[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). This is a notable feature for an epiphytic orchid, which otherwise depends on rainwater and airborne debris reaching its roots.
**Flowers.** The inflorescence is dense and cylindrical to ball-shaped, with bisexual, bilaterally symmetrical flowers borne in clusters[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). Individual flowers measure 15 to 18 mm across, with light pink sepals and petals marked by dark pink flecks[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). The flowers emit a foul, decaying odor resembling rotting flesh, which NParks lists as a usage drawback of the plant in landscaping[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). Strong scents of this kind are widespread in *Bulbophyllum*: anatomical work on the genus has located odor-producing glands called osmophores on the lip surface, and many species are fly-pollinated, with the hinged lip moving to press the insect against the column[4](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4242314/).
## Habitat and distribution
The species is native to Borneo[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1). It grows on large trees in swamp and lowland forests at altitudes from sea level to 600 m[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). In Singapore, where it does not occur natively, it is recorded only in horticulture and cultivation[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). Like all orchids, the species falls under CITES Appendix II, and it is listed in the Kew CITES orchid checklists used to regulate international trade[5](https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/CITESOrchidChecklistV.pdf).
## Cultivation and hybrids
In cultivation the species needs a large space, about 70% shade, and moderate water, and it is best grown mounted on a length of log or tree bark[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). It is unlikely to flower unless the plant is large and well established[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134). It can be propagated by seed or stem cutting[2](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134).
The species has also been used as a parent in registered *Bulbophyllum* hybrids, including *Bulbophyllum* Nik Gofman (with *B. fascinator*, registered 2024) and *Bulbophyllum* Raksasa (with *B. phalaenopsis*, registered 2022)[6](https://orchidregistry.com/id/bulbophyllum-beccarii).
## References
1. [Bulbophyllum beccarii Rchb.f., Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A618409-1)
2. [Bulbophyllum beccarii, NParks Flora & Fauna Web, National Parks Board, Singapore](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6134)
3. [Epithet beccarii, Plant Illustrations](https://plantillustrations.org/epithet.php?id_epithet=213920&limit=52&mobile=3&offset=0&query_type=epithet&size=1)
4. [Teixeira, S. de P., Borba, E. L., & Semir, J. (2004). Lip anatomy and its implications for the pollination mechanisms of Bulbophyllum species (Orchidaceae). Annals of Botany 93(5): 499-505.](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4242314/)
5. [CITES Orchid Checklist (accepted names), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/CITESOrchidChecklistV.pdf)
6. [Bulbophyllum beccarii, Orchid Registry](https://orchidregistry.com/id/bulbophyllum-beccarii)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Plants and algae › Seed plants › Monocots › Orchids (Orchidaceae) › Orchid species › Bulbophyllum species*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license