Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum (Lindl. ex Hook. f.) Pfitzer 1892 Subgen Paphiopedilum Sec. Karasawa & Saito 1982 Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by The Paph House

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Common Name The Shaggy Paphiopedilum

Flower Size 4" [10 cm]

This medium-sized, terrestrial or lithophytic species variety has 5 to 7, distichous, linear-oblong to linear-ligulate, obtuse at the obliquely bilobed apex, clear green leaves that are spotted purple beneath and is found in NE India and Burma [ the other varieties are found in northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam as well as SW China] at altitudes of 1200 to 1800 meters in leaf litter pockets in forks or at the base of trees or on steep limestone cliff faces in narrow crevasses, and grows as a cool to warm, shade loving, terrestrial orchid in thin soil on rocks that likes to be kept evenly moist throughout the year, it in turn blooms in the spring with a longlasting, 12" [30 cm] long, single flowered, densely pubescent inflorescence that is green and has dark purple hairs and an elliptic floral bract that is 1/4 the length of the ovary.

Synonyms Cordula hirsutissima [Lindl. ex Hook. f.] Rolfe 1912; *Cypripedium hirsutissimum Lindl. ex Hook. f. 1857; Paphiopedilum chiwuanum Tang & F.T.Wang 1951; Paphiopedilum esquirolei var. chiwuanum (Tang & F.T.Wang) Braem & Chiron 2003; Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var. chiwuanum (Tang & F.T.Wang) P.J.Cribb 1987

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95 as Cypripedium hirsutissimum

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum (Lindl. ex Hook. f.) Pfitzer 1892 var album Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

A white form of the previous species.

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var. chiwuanum (Tang & F.T.Wang) P.J.Cribb 1987 Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

Common Name The Chiwuan Paphiopedilum

Found in Yunnan Province China

Synonyms Paphiopedilum chiwuanum Tang & F.T.Wang 1951; Paphiopedilum esquirolei var. chiwuanum (Tang & F.T.Wang) Braem & Chiron 2003

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list IPNI ; The Genus Paphiopedilum Vol 2 Braem 1999

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var esquirolei [Schlechter] Karasawa and Saito 1982 Subgen Paphiopedilum Sec. Stictopetalum Haller 1897 Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name Esquirol's Paphiopedilum [English Orchid Collector and discoverer of this variety]

Flower Size 5 3/4" to 6 1/2" [14 to 16 cm]

Found in northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam as well as southern China as a lithophytic species found at 350 to 1250 meters on NE facing benches on steep slopes in semi-deciduous broadleafed forests above the opening of limestone caves and is a cool to warm growing plant with clear green leaves that blooms in the spring on a single flowered, erect, terminal, pubescent inflorescence. This variety differs form the normal variety by having larger flowers and a shortly, purple black, pubescent inflorescence and ovary.

Synonyms Cordula esquirolei [Schlechter] Hu 1925; Paphiopedilum esquirolei Schlechter 1919; Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum f. viride O.Gruss & Roeth 1999; Paphiopedilum saccopetalum Hua 1998

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list IPNI ; The Genus Paphiopedilum Vol 1 & 2 Braem 1999

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