Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum
Encyclopedia
Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum, common name The Shiney Green Leaf Paphiopedilum or Tropical Ladys-Slipper, is a species of flowering plants in the genus Paphiopedilum
Paphiopedilum
The paphiopedilums – often abbreviated Paph and colloquially known as paphs in horticulture – are flowering plants in the orchid family . It contains about 80 accepted species nowadays, some of which are natural hybrids...

belonging to the Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...

 family.

Description

Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum is a terrestrial orchid 30–45 cm (11.8–17.7 ) tall. The leaves are waxy coated, clear blue-green, oblong-elliptic and narrow, about 30 centimetres (11.8 in) long. The flowers are about 8–11 cm (3.1–4.3 ) wide. The upper sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...

 is green and purple striped, the lateral petals are twisted, purple mottled and hairy, the labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...

 is white at the base, with a progressively increasing pink-purple dotting. The labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...

 reaches 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in) and its shape resembles a bag or women's shoes (hence the common name of Tropical Ladys-Slipper). This species blooms repeatedly with two flowers, producing a new one once the old one is fallen. The flowering period is very long, extending from the Spring till the Winter. This species is very similar to Paphiopedilum liemianum
Paphiopedilum liemianum
Paphiopedilum liemianum is a species of orchid endemic to northern Sumatra ....

, but the last one has intense green leaves, while in the first one they are clearer.

Distribution

This species is endemic to Southeast Asia (Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

, East and Southwest Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...

 (Mount Semeru, Lumajang
Lumajang
Lumajang is the capital of Lumajang Regency...

) and in Central Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...

).

Habitat

Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum has its natural habitat in rainy volcanic mountain slopes and moist limestone cliffs. It prefers sun to partial shade and calcareous soils with mosses, at an altitude of 200–700 m (656.2–2,296.6 ) above sea level.

External links

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