Volume 12 > Part 1 > Year 2011 > Page 214 > Orchidaceae > Paphiopedilum

12. Paphiopedilum thaianum Iamwir.

Orchid Rev. 114: 278. 2006. Plate XVI: 2.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : A terrestrial herb, often of clustered growth. Leaves 3–5, narrowly elliptic to oblong rounded and minutely tridentate at apex, 3.5–9.5 cm long, 1–2.4 cm wide, mottled very dark and pale green above, heavily mottled purple below, ciliate at the base. Inflorescence 1-flowered (rarely 2-flowered), 6–17(–23) cm long; peduncle 4–15 cm long, purple, shortly but densely white-pubescent; bracts conduplicate, broadly ovate, obtuse, 7–8 mm long, 3.5–3.9 mm wide, pale green, spotted purple. Flowers 3.3–4.2 cm in diameter, white, often highly dotted purple towards base of segments and on front of labellum, with a yellow or yellow-green centre to the staminode, pubescent on outside and at base of petals within; ovary 3.5–5.6 cm long, green flushed with dark purple, densely shortly pubescent. Dorsal sepal very broadly ovate, obtuse, 1.7–2.1 cm long, 1.8–2.2 cm wide. Synsepal concave, ovate, obtuse, 1.3–1.8 cm long, 0.8–1.6 cm wide. Petals elliptic, rounded, 2.2–2.6 cm long, 1.4–1.5 cm wide, shortly ciliate on margins. Labellum rather small, ovoid to ellipsoidal, with incurved margins, 2–2.1 cm long, 1–1.4 cm wide. Staminode shortly trullate to transversely subelliptic, one-to three-toothed at apex, 5.5–7.7 mm long, 7.2–8.3 mm wide.

Thailand : PENINSULAR: Phangnga (type: Iamwiriyakul 3, holotype -BCU, isotypes -BKF QBG).

Distribution : Endemic.

Ecology : In shade of primary forests steep cliffs and slopes on highly eroded limestone; 350–450 m alt. Flowering: April and May.

Vernacular : Rongthao nari khao phangnga (รองเท้านารีขาวพังงา).

Notes: This recently discovered miniature species is closely allied to Paphiopedilum niveum (Rchb.f.) Stein, possibly no more than a miniature variety of it. Its relationship to that species needs further investigation.