Paphiopedilum exul var. semialbum

[JRO]

This was from Sam originally. This year it has 5 blooming spikes and another low spike which will hopefully catch up soon.

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice. Why semi and not album?

 

[JRO]

Nice. Why semi and not album?

There are a couple of very small colored spots near the column.

 

[SlipperKing]

Ok. Give us some closeups please

 

[JRO]

Ok. Give us some closeups please

Here you go. The spotting is different on each flower. You have to look very closely as the spots are tiny. The second photo has one slightly larger spot near the base of the dorsal.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

What a vigorous plant. Nice!

 

[GuRu]

What a bunch of lovely flowers and the plant seems very vigorous .... a feast for the eyes even if it's only albescens or semi-album due to the few dark spots.

 

[Roth]

That's a cross of exul and a background of insigne sanderae... I did buy some in the 2000's as well in Thailand... until I found that it was breed by Doi Tung, totally unaware that it was used as a 'species' by unscrupulous local sellers.

Doi Tung did cross exul with several insigne sanderae, Actaeus, San Actaeus, Dorama, etc... as they wanted to breed complex Paphiopedilum that can grow and bloom in the lowlands, specifically Bangkok, where they were selling a lot of plants at JJ Market. This part of the story I know since not so long actually...

Out of their attempts came those 'exul var. alba' 'exul var. sanderae' ' exul var. aureum'... and a few gratrixianum on steroids too

 

[GuRu]

That's a cross of exul and a background of insigne sanderae...

When I looked at these flors for the first time this afternoon (local time) I missed the extraordinary big synsepetalum of P. exul. But I don't have enough experience ... so I didn't say a word.