Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum (Lindl. ex Hook. f.) Pfitzer 1892SUBGENUS Paphiopedilum SECTION Stictopetalum Haller 1897 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 ;
Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1865 as Cypripedium hirsutissimum drawing fide; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95 as Cypripedium hirsutissimum; Schlechteriana Vol 2 No 2 1991 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 No 4 1997 photo; Wild Orchids of China Tsi, Chen Mori 1997; Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 6 1998 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 4 1999 photo; Orchid Australia Vol 12 No 2 2000 photo; Lindleyana Vol 15 No 4 2000; Australian Orchid Review Vol 67 No 6 2002/3 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 6 2004 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 75 No 8 2006 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 2 2007 drawing; Wild Orchids in Myanamar Vol 3 Tanaka 2007; Orchid Digest Vol 72 No 3 2008 photo as P hirsutissima f alboviride Orchids of Vietnam, Illustrated survey, part 1 Averyanov 2008
Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum (Lindl. ex Hook. f.) Pfitzer 1892 var album
A white form of the previous species.
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 4 1998 photo;
Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var. chiwuanum (Tang & F.T.Wang) P.J.Cribb 1987
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Common Name The Chiwuan Paphiopedilum
Flower Size 2.4 to 3.2" [6 to 8 cm]
Found in Yunnan Province China and Vietnam in broad-leaved evergreen, mixed and coniferous forests on rocky crystalline limestone at elevations of 750 to 1450 meters and differs from the type in the much smaller flowers and blooms in the spring
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; Lindleyana Vol 15 No 4 2000; Australian Orchid Review Vol 70 No 4 2005; Orchids of Vietnam, Illustrated survey, part 1 Averyanov 2008
Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var esquirolei [Schlechter] Karasawa and Saito 1982
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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 ; Schlechteriana Vol 2 No 2 1991 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 4 1999; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 9 1999 photo; The Genus Paphiopedilum Vol 1 & 2 Braem 1999; Australian Orchid Review Vol 65 No 6 2000 photo as P hirsutissimum var esquirolei f viride; Lindleyana Vol 15 No 4 2000; AOS Bulletin Vol 74 No 6 2005 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 3 2007 photo; Orchids of Vietnam, Illustrated survey, part 1 Averyanov 2008
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