Paph volonteanum vs. hookerae

[SlipperKing]

Here are my observations. Whether right or wrong it should give a person a general sense of what to expect when buying a plant, sight unseen or out of bloom.

In this first picture I have 3 seedlings from the same cross, 'Bear' X self of hookerae in the front row. Granted not bloomed, so the tags could be wrong. In the past I've had blooming hookeraes from OZ in the 90's, they looked like these. Light green with little to no maroon coloring to the undersides.
The back row are the volonteanums. Blooming size, grenhouse adapted collected plants. May or may not be from the same pod. A dregee darker green mottling on the surface of the leaves with light to strong maroon on the undersides.

A closeup of one seedling, base of hookerae. One could argue underside coloring is variable in both varieties. I for one, have never seen a hookerae with anything close to what volonteanums can have. On the flipside, I've never seen a volonteanum light enough on the top side to be mistaken as a straight hookerae either.

volonteanum flower spike can be very, very tall. I don't recall my hookeraes blooming with such heights.

 

[NYEric]

Thanks.

 

[Justin]

nice ty

 

[SlipperFan]

Interesting, Rick. RHS consideres volonteanum to be a synonym of hookerae. Maybe they are wrong.

 

[Hamlet]

Thanks for this. Looks like mine is definitely hookerae then. It's a small plant, much like the ones in your photos and with light green leaf undersides.
I love those long stems, btw.

 

[SlipperKing]

Maybe so Dot. We have to start with the taxonomists first.

 

[Trithor]

Acmodontum aspiring to the same lofty levels, but came up short? Tough neighborhood for the acmodontum!

 

[SlipperKing]

Acmodontum aspiring to the same lofty levels, but came up short? Tough neighborhood for the acmodontum!

LOL, The acmo was there first but like all growing cities, the skyscrapers keep getting taller and taller! The unbloomed volo's spike measures 26.5 inches from the base of the plant to tip of the sheath. It will be interesting to see the max out height once the flower opens fully

 

[Trithor]

Impressive spike lengths. Has it maxed yet?