Paphiopedilum

  

Lady’s slipper orchids: Lady’s slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids are the orchids in the subfamily Cypripedioidea, which includes the genera Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium and Selenipedium. They are characterised by the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellums) of the flowers – the pouch traps insects so they are forced to climb up past the staminode, behind which they collect or deposit pollinia, thus fertilising the flower.

This subfamily has been considered by some to be a family Cypripediaceae, separate from the Orchidaceae. The subfamily Cypripedioideae is monophyletic and consists of five genera. Their common features are two fertile diandrous (that is, with two perfect stamens) anthers, a shield-shaped staminode and a saccate (sac-shaped) lip.
The Cypripedium genus is found across much of North America, as well as in parts of Europe and Asia. The state flower of Minnesota is the Showy Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae). The Lady’s Slipper is also
the official provincial flower of Prince Edward Island, a province of Canada.
Paphiopedilums are found in the tropical forests of southeast Asia reaching as far north as southern China. Paphiopedilum is quite easy to cultivate and therefore is popular among orchid enthusiasts. In fact, overcollecting of this genus has caused some problems in its original habitat.
Phragmipedium, found across northern South and Central America, is also easy to cultivate as it requires lower temperatures than Paphiopedilum, eliminating the need for a greenhouse in many areas.
The lady’s slipper is also known in the United States of America as the moccasin flower, from its resemblance to a shoe or moccasin. The once thought extinct flower is now legally protected from cultivation. This variety of orchid was spotted at a a golf course in Lancashire England and daily patrols are made to ensure its safety.
Above’s source: WIKIPEDIA
INDIA
In India the subfamily is represented by two genera, namely, Cypripedium and Paphiopedilum, which inturn are represented by 5 (C. elegans, C. guttatum, C. cordigerum, C. himalaicum, C. tibeticum) and 9 species (P. charlesworthii, P. insigne, P. druryi, P. villosum, P. fairrieanum, P. spicerianum, P. hirsutissimum, P. venustum, P. wardii) respectively.
Of these only 3 species of Cypripediums are found in Western Himalaya and one species of Paphiopedilum is found in Western Ghats, i.e., Paphiopedilum druryi.
I will be sharing few pics of this subfamily in my next few mails.
 
I did some conservation assessment of Lady slipper orchids from India and they have now been updated on the IUCN website.
This is just a beginning and I will request people to contribute to the conservation assessment of Indian flora. I would be happy to help at any point.
Here are the links:
Paphiopedilum druryii: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15051138/0
P. appletonianum: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/43320105/0
P. fairrieanum: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/43320321/0
P. hirsutissimum: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/43320399/0
P. insigne: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/43320499/0
P. venustum: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15052375/0
P. villosum: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/201858/0

Really good work, …

Its meticulous

We are pleased to inform you about our new publications “The Genus Paphiopedilum (2nd Edition) “Authored by Guido J. Braem, Guy Chiron & Sandra L. Öhlund,
Year : 2016, Pages : xiv, 651, 247 Illustrations, ISBN : 978-81-211-0905-5, Binding : Hard Bound, Size : Royal 8vo, Price: Rs 6500.00, free Postage through Registered Book Post/Air Mail.
We are also giving below a brief write up of the book for your information, attached along with a information Blurb:
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The Genus Paphiopedilum by Braem, Chiron, & Öhlund is the most complete monograph hitherto written about this fascinating genus of slipper orchids. The extensive text is scientifically correct but written to be accessible to commercial and amateur orchid growers, professional botanists, and anyone interested in orchids or in beautiful and exotic flowering plants in general. The book is completed by 247 illustrations, of which 222 are in colour. Overall, the book has 665 pages.
The text is written by Prof. Dr. Guido Braem, one of the leading orchid taxonomists of our time. The botanist Dr. Guy Chiron and Professor Sandy Öhlund, an accredited judge with the American Orchid Society and an experienced orchid grower, contributed valuable information.
Starting with a short preamble and a detailed discussion, the book continues with a general section dealing with the basics of orchids and orchid taxonomy. Thereafter, the genus Paphiopedilum, representing the Asian tropical and subtropical slipper orchids, is discussed. The infrageneric divisions of the genus are explained and every one of the 98 species of the genus is treated in detail: basionym (the name as given in the original publication), synonym(s), discussion, etymology (origin of the name of the species), detailed description, distribution and habitat, flowering data in situ and in cultivation (as far as available), miscellaneous notes such as the mitotic chromosome count, and varieties and forms (as far as applicable). All species are illustrated whereby the great majority of pictures are photographs taken from plants in cultivation and in their natural habitat. Close-ups are available for all species, as well as in situ photographs for a great number of the taxa. Furthermore, plates from famous Botanical works have been included.
After the descriptive section, there is a chapter with identification keys to the various subgenera, sections, and subsections, and finally for each of these, there is a key leading to the species. The book is completed by an index of plant names and a bibliography.
Overall, the layout of the book warrants easy use. Those not interested in the purely scientific chapters can easily jump directly to the descriptive part of the work that is perfect for identification.
Based on the legendary books about the genus Paphiopedilum published by Prof. Braem and his team in 1988, 1998/1999, and 2003, the present monograph is the most complete and up-to-date book on the subject, and will be the standard text for many years to come.
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We hope that the book would be of your interest, in case of any further information, please let us know.

 

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