Bolusiella Schltr. in Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 36, abt. 2: 105 (1918).
Description:
Monopodial plants, epiphytic or sometimes lithophytic. Habit psygmoid, leaves arranged in a plane, dorsoventrally flattened and unifacial. Flowers white, resupinate, 2-6 mm long with free tepals, disposed on a lateral inflorescence, more or less grouped, in a simple raceme. Lip triangular and sometimes slightly trilobate; spur conical or cylindrical; present in most species. Column anther bearing two pollinia on two mace-shaped stipes, linked by a diamond-shaped viscidium; stigma concave and separated from the pollinia by a tridentate rostellum, with the lateral lobes longer than the median lobe.
Type species:
Bolusiella maudiae (Bolus) Schltr.
Cultivation:
Like many orchids with fleshy leaves, species of Bolusiella are not easy to get established, although once they are, they do quite well. The problem is maintaining high humidity without letting the plant rot. If plants are mounted, it is difficult to give them high enough humidity, but if they are potted, they are prone to rot, at least until the roots have become well established. Intermediate temperatures and moderate shade are appropriate.
Key to the species of Bolusiella
Notes:
The genus Bolusiella was established by Rudolf Schlechter in 1918 and named in honor of roe South African botanist Harry Bolus (1834-1911). It comprises four species in tropical Africa, with one extending into South Africa. These species are not showy, but they are unusual in appearance.
Distribution:
Bolusiella is widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Bibliography and References:
Pottinger M. 1979 The mighty miniatures: five African beauties. Orchid Rev. 87. (1031): 170 - 173 (1979); Pottinger M. 1982 African orchids Bulbophyllum and Bolusiella. Orchid Rev. 90. (1063): 163-164 (1982); Teuscher H. 1977 Collector's item: Angraecopsis, Bolusiella and Tridactyle. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 46. (12): 1109 - 1114 (1977); Williamson G. 1976 Some interesting miniature Epiphytes. Orchid Rev. 84. (996): 169 - 173 (1976); Taxonomic revision of the genus Bolusiella (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae) with a new species from Cameroon, Burundi and Rwanda,by Simon Verlynde, Jean-yves Dubuisson, Tariq Stévart, Murielle simo-Droissart, Daniel Geerinck, Bonaventure Sonké, Valérie Cawoy, Pascal Descourvières & Vincent Droissart, Phytotaxa 114 (1): 1-22 (2013); WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 24.02-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/