The Chapada Diamantina is located in the northern region of the Espinhaço Range, and its main vegetation type is the "campo rupestre", but other vegetational types also occur such as gallery forests, cerrado and caatinga, and the whole region presents high endemism. Bulbophyllum Thouars is the largest genus of Orchidaceae, with nearly 1.200 species. Fifty-eight Bulbophyllum species are recognized from Brazil, and only five of them were until recently reported for the Bahia state. In this study we present a survey of the Bulbophyllum species occurring in the Chapada Diamantina, based on herbarium and field collections. We found 12 Bulbophyllum species and one natural hybrid in the Chapada Diamantina, eight of which are new occurrences for the state. Bulbophyllum epiphytum Barb. Rodr., B. laciniatum (Barb. Rodr.) Cogn., and B. napellii Lindl. are epiphytic; B. involutum Borba, Semir & F. Barros, B. mentosum Barb. Rodr., B. roraimense Rolfe, B. weddellii (Lindl.) Rchb. f., and B. ×cipoense Borba & Semir occur exclusively as rupicolous; and B. chloropterum Rchb. f., B. cribbianum Toscano, B. ipanemense Hoehne, B. manarae Foldats and B. plumosum (Barb. Rodr.) Cogn. present facultative habit. Bulbophyllum ipanemense is the most abundant species of the genus in the Chapada Diamantina, and the populations of this species in Bahia present several morphological differences in relation to the populations of Southeastern region. B. manarae and B. roraimense, formerly considered as endemic to Venezuela, are mentioned for the first time to Brazil, strengthening the hypothesis of a close relationship between the flora of that country and the Chapada Diamantina.
Bulbophyllum; campo rupestre; Chapada Diamantina; Orchidaceae; taxonomy
