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SlipperFan

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The first two I've had for a couple of years. Primulinum is new. Photos are a little deceptive: primulinum is quite small.

Paph. barbatum
Paph_barbatum.jpg

Paph. hookerae
Paph_hookerae.jpg

Paph. primulinum
Paph_primulinum.jpg
 
I adore that hookerae! SO pretty... excellent photographs... the colors are so rich.
 
That is probably the most beautiful photo of hookerae I've seen! Gorgeous! I've been looking at hookerae a lot recently, and it's a hard one to photograph, at least, according to Google images :) The other two are beautiful, too... I'm getting to be a fan of barbatum.

- Matthew Gore
 
I think that's the first hookerae posted on the site. Since there have been allot of coments about how hard this one is, you are now obliged to give us all your culture secrets on this one.:poke:

That's a great barbata too.
 
Great photos thanks for sharing. I am particularly fond of barbatum, first orchid I flowered and I love every one I've seen!

So, perhaps some of our photographers could share some of their techniques? Perhaps even start a thread?

gary
 
Rick said:
I think that's the first hookerae posted on the site. Since there have been allot of coments about how hard this one is, you are now obliged to give us all your culture secrets on this one.:poke:

That's a great barbata too.
I had them both growing in a bark mix until last Summer when I put them in S/H. They seemed to do OK, and I was pleased to see 2 spikes on hookerae and one on barbatum. But one of the hookerae's spikes' bud started dying, so I unpotted it to find that the roots were not doing so well. I repotted it in my "new" mix of diatomite/CH/sponge rock/charcoal, and it seems to be reviving. When the barbatum is done blooming, I'll check the roots and if necessary, that will go into the diatomite mix, also. If the roots are good, it will stay where it is. I'm growing my Paphs in my sunroom, supplemented by 2' fluorescent lights in plant stands I made out of wooden stands from the "Hold Everything" catalog -- I don't think they carry them anymore.

Last summer, I did not put my Paphs outdoors, and they bloomed well for me this year. The year before, I did, and with very little blooming as a result. Maybe it was because the summer was fairly cool and wet the year I did, but the evenness of temperature in the sunroom seems to have worked better for them. Needless to say, they didn't go out this summer, either.

I typically water most of my Paphs 2x per week in the summer, and 1x during colder/darker months.
 
Nice growing! Beautiful photography as always. Lets do a study group on photography, I'll be there!
 
Indeed a nice photo and plant of the hookerae, the flower has characteristics of var volonteanum. Is there any significant anthocyanin marking at the base of the plant?
 
Bob Wellenstein said:
Indeed a nice photo and plant of the hookerae, the flower has characteristics of var volonteanum. Is there any significant anthocyanin marking at the base of the plant?
Not at all. Way at the base of the growths there is a little reddish pigment, but very little. Is "significant anthocyanin" characteristic of hookerae or volonteanum?
 
SlipperFan and Mr. Wellenstein,

I'm certainly no expert on taxonomy, but this looks more like hookerae to me. I'll give you the reasons why, and perhaps we can get this sorted out.

First of all, there are a couple points of interest in Rolfe's description of volonteanum, compared to hookerae (quoted in Cribb 1987) "... the petals are broader and more obtuse, the lip a little constricted below the horizontal mouth and the staminode quite orbicular, without notches."

It was the staminode that interested me first.... and I've done a little comparison (but there seems to be plenty of variation here).

Hookerae seems more frequently to have a notch at the top of the staminode, like this:

Paphiopedilum_hookerae1.jpg


And I think that SlipperFan's is similar:

Paph_hookerae.jpg



The volonteanums that I've found don't have the same notch, usually:

paphvoluteanum.jpg

volont1l.jpg



That doesn't seem like the soundest foundation for species distinction, to be sure. They all seem to have some constriction "under the mouth". The red/purple under the leaves seems to be the simplest distinguishing feature. It is more common in volonteanum (but there is reported to be some overlap).

Anyway, that's my take on the issue... I'd be interested to hear others' opinions.

As Ever,
Matthew Gore
 

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