Paphiopedilum rothschildianum
| Rotschild's slipper orchid | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cypripedioideae |
| Tribe: | Cypripedieae |
| Subtribe: | Paphiopedilinae |
| Genus: | Paphiopedilum |
| Species: | P. rothschildianum |
| Binomial name | |
| Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (Rchb.f.) Stein 1888 | |
| Synonyms | |
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum is a large sized clear-leafed species of orchid. It blooms with a tall inflorescence with up to six, large flowers. It is unique in the Corypetalum group by holding its petals almost horizontally, giving the flower a very distinctive appearance. The peak flowering period is from April to May.
Distribution
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (also called 'Rothschild's slipper orchid', after its discoverer) is found in the rainforests around Mount Kinabalu in northern Borneo, at elevations from 500 to 1200 meters above the sea. It commonly grows as a terrestrial in ultramafic soil but is also found growing as a lithophyte in leaf-litter on ultramafic cliffs, usually near a river.
Reproduction
The flower has a green and red spotted petal, which attracts any parasitic flies that think it is a crowd of the aphids they lay eggs on. As they try to do so, the flies brush against the stigma, releasing any previously collected pollen, and then getting some more from the anther.
In popular culture
An (imaginary) yellow variety of the plant, P. rothschildianum flavum, is central to the plot of the Midsomer Murders episode Orchis Fatalis.
References
- Braem, G. J., Charles O. Baker, Margaret L. Baker. The Genus Paphiopedilum: Natural History and Cultivation, Vol. 1. Kissimmee, Florida: Botanical Publishers, Inc., 1998.
External links
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