Paphiopedilum bougainvilleanum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Paphiopedilum bougainvilleanum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cypripedioideae |
| Genus: | Paphiopedilum |
| Species: | P. bougainvilleanum |
| Binomial name | |
| Paphiopedilum bougainvilleanum Stiles & Fowlie (1971) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Paphiopedilum violascens var. bougainvilleanum (Fowlie) Koop. | |
Paphiopedilum bougainvilleanum or the Bougainville paphiopedilum is a species of slipper orchid endemic to Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. This slipper orchid is rare among enthusiasts, and is difficult to cultivate.[2]
It was originally described by Stiles and Fowlie in the Orchid Digest in 1971, with its epithet referring to its natural habitat in Bougainville.[3] P. bougainvilleanum is closely similar to P. violascens, and is sometimes referred to as a variant of P. violascens, as described by Koop in 1995.[4]
Description
P. bougainvilleanum grows on forest floors or on trees in wet montane forests over granite, with leaf litter, humus or mosses as medium for growth. The orchid consists of 5 to 7 leaves measuring 14–22 centimetres (5.5–8.7 in) long and 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in) wide, with its upper surface being generally pale green, but faintly mottled with dark green. Its pale green inflorescence has a purple-white pubescent and measures 10–23 centimetres (3.9–9.1 in) long, consisting of a single flower around 5 centimetres (2.0 in) wide. Peak flowering occurs in late spring and late fall.[3]