Paphiopedilum barbatum var. nigritum (h.v. Pygmy race)

[DrLeslieEe]

A couple years ago I bought a bunch of these from Marlow. They were so cute, small and compact. Some stayed under 5 inches while a few grew bigger to 7 inch leafspan.

This is the first to flower this season. Very dark pouch and brilliant magenta reds on dorsal and petals. Flower is like a miniature callosum, just at 7 cm NS and a 3 cm dorsal. Inflorescence is about 20 cm high on a 7 inch plant.

The accepted name is barbatum only. Nigritum variety was used before to describe the darker flowers while the Pygmy horticultural designation was to indicate the small plant stature.

 

[papheteer]

What lovely colours!

 

[GuRu]

This is an extraordinarily lovely flower.......shape and stance are very good and these dark colours......not to forget the nice foliage.

 

[Ozpaph]

very attractive flower

 

[monocotman]

That is very cute!
David

 

[DrLeslieEe]

So update:

The flower was snapped off by an aberrant clip soon after the pics. I was so mad at myself for being so silly to not secure the clip firmly. Lesson learnt.

Luckily in my band of brother pygmies, another came into spike and just bloomed (with another bud coming from another growth on same plant). Not as full but just as charming.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

The second flower of this recent one just opened with a flatter dorsal.

 

[BrucherT]

A couple years ago I bought a bunch of these from Marlow. They were so cute, small and compact. Some stayed under 5 inches while a few grew bigger to 7 inch leafspan.

This is the first to flower this season. Very dark pouch and brilliant magenta reds on dorsal and petals. Flower is like a miniature callosum, just at 7 cm NS and a 3 cm dorsal. Inflorescence is about 20 cm high on a 7 inch plant.

The accepted name is barbatum only. Nigritum variety was used before to describe the darker flowers while the Pygmy horticultural designation was to indicate the small plant stature.

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This is spectacular.

 

[SouthPark]

The particular patterns and colours is outstanding nature art. Outstanding. Even has natural clear-coat polish sheen/glaze!

 

[Guldal]

I simply love your minies, Leslie...especially the first one is glorious in every respect!

I think, though, the designation 'nigritum' for your flowers might be a tinsy wee too hastily implied, as they (and again, especially, the first one) in my eyes seem to be examples of very well coloured typical ones.
Bearing in mind that nigritum, as a botanical term means dark or blackish in colour (from latin nigritus: black) I would expect this colour form to look more like the flower found in this thread: Paph. barbatum

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I simply love your minies, Leslie...especially the first one is glorious in every respect!

I think, though, the designation 'nigritum' for your flowers might be a tinsy wee too hastily implied, as they (and again, especially, the first one) in my eyes seem to be examples of very well coloured typical ones.
Bearing in mind that nigritum, as a botanical term means dark or blackish in colour (from latin nigritus: black) I would expect this colour form to look more like the flower found in this thread: Paph. barbatum

I agree with you Jens. My version is not as dark as yours (which I prefer). It came labeled this way.

I wonder if selfings are unstable and cause these coloratums to appear? Perhaps you can self yours and experiment?

 

[Guldal]

Perhaps you can self yours and experiment?

If it survives the onslaught of mealy bugs and rot, that have decimated my collection, due to no or low maintenance, since my cov-infection and following sequalae - and if I flower it again, when it had gathered sufficient strength, I'll be more than willing to give it a try, Leslie!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

If it survives the onslaught of mealy bugs and rot, that have decimated my collection, due to no or low maintenance, since my cov-infection and following sequalae - and if I flower it again, when it had gathered sufficient strength, I'll be more than willing to give it s try, Leslie!

Poor you and orchids!

Damn this virus!

I send good energy to both yours and your orchids’ full recoveries!

 

[Rob in Puyallup]

Barbatum looks just like callosum here. Is there an obvious difference?

 

[Rockbend]

FWIW - When I use those clips, I put the tips of the claws around the flower stem. If you look at the inside/base of the claws some clips have blocks, and others have a very narrow angle, that might pinch closed and cause problems?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

FWIW - When I use those clips, I put the tips of the claws around the flower stem. If you look at the inside/base of the claws some clips have blocks, and others have a very narrow angle, that might pinch closed and cause problems?

Once I didn’t claw them properly and it snapped the flower off!!! I was so mad at myself for days… ughhhhh.

 

[southernbelle]

If it survives the onslaught of mealy bugs and rot, that have decimated my collection, due to no or low maintenance, since my cov-infection and following sequalae - and if I flower it again, when it had gathered sufficient strength, I'll be more than willing to give it s try, Leslie!
[/QUOTE
Sorry, Jens to hear of your struggle with COVID and aftermath, but trusting you are on the upswing now. Sometimes things just get a bit behind in our collections and we just have to do what we can each day to bring it back.

 

[Just1more]

This is spectacular.

 

[clearsky57]

glad to see your pics... i have a bunch coming and look forward to comparing when mine finally flower up