''Bulbophyllum nigericum'' is an

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

epilith Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are also ...

ic plant species in the family

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

. It is native to

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

( Enyandong, Mt Kupe and the

Bakossi Mountains The Bakossi Mountains are a mountain range that forms part of the Cameroon line of active and extinct volcanoes in western Cameroon, covering about . The mountains lie in the regions of Littoral and the Southwest. The highest peak in this range is ...

), and

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, where it is found growing habitually in submontane and montane, tropical or subtropical, moist forest, at elevations roughly between 800 and 2,050 meters. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

due to continued, extensive

forest clearance Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

for the purpose of crop cultivation. It was described in 1962. In the village of Enyandong, a specimen of ''B. nigericum'' is growing on a tree in front of the house of the village Chief, where it is visible to the public. Conservationists are hopeful that this will help raise local awareness of this plant, aid in its identification, and so promote its protection.

References

nigericum Orchids of Cameroon Orchids of Nigeria Epiphytic orchids Plants described in 1962 Vulnerable flora of Africa Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Bulbophyllum-stub