Paphiopedilum javanicum var floresianum

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Thanks Jens. Iโ€™m really happy with this first ever species bloom for me. I have always adored the shape of the good javanicums. And this one fits the bill for me.

In terms of the difference with virens, there are key objective differences (enough for me to say they are different species!):

1. Petals of virens are more horizontal whereas javanicums are usually angled down by 45 degrees.

2. The tips of the viren petals are also tipped bright pink on distal 1/4 to 1/3.

3. The green of the virens flower is usually brighter green (lime green) and not dull green like javanicum. This makes the virens flower brighter green with pink petal tips.

4. The staminode of the virens sometimes have a brighter green tip on the lower edge. The virens staminode sometimes have pink blush too.

5. The inner rim of the virens pouch sometimes are flushed pink too.

Also the plants are different vegetatively. Virens leaves tend to be more compact and stiff, angled up (though not all, which I think are intermediary hybrid swarms of the two crossed together).

The holotype plant description of the javanicum from the Kew herbarium sample fits my flower to the tea. That was from 1888 I think!
Thank you for the explanation, Leslie. The colour difference, by the way, was much more clearly to see in your second batch of photos (with the side of your winery as background) - with the black in the back the dullness of the green comes so much more to the fore!

Seriousness aside, next follows a little cheeky one: if your plant to a 't' fits the description of the holotype of javanicum (var. javanicum), what then sets var. floresianum apart from the typical variety? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Ps. The position, the angle of the lip, by the way, judging from the photos, seems to bear some resemblance to volonteanum? Might we have a shoot from the side to judge this closer?
 
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Thank you for the explanation, Leslie. The colour difference, by the way, was much more clearly to see in your second batch of photos (with the side of your winery as background) - with the black in the back the dullness of the green comes so much more to the fore!

Seriousness aside, next follows a little cheeky one: if your plant to a 't' fits the description of the holotype of javanicum (var. javanicum), what then sets var. floresianum apart from the typical variety? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Ps. The position, the angle of the lip, by the way, judging from the photos, seems to bear some resemblance to volonteanum? Might we have a shoot from the side to judge this closer?
Variety floresianum is a horticultural term given to plants that have 'more' color than the type variety. As seen in this offspring, this color is not stable or easily inherited. That's why color forms are not given forma status. As a result the colorful flowers of the javanicums will resort back to the type coloration most of the time. This does not happen with the virens type, thus my view that it is a different species all together.

Yes more pics? My pleasure ... I will take more tomorrow.

But the javanicum pouch is not like the volonteanum pouch as the latter has a engorgement in the lower half and pinched at the upper rim (like a gourd). The javanicum pouch on the other hand is more like flute glass, narrow at bottom and flared opened at the top.
 
Variety floresianum is a horticultural term given to plants that have 'more' color than the type variety. As seen in this offspring, this color is not stable or easily inherited.
The first part of your answer would suggest: P. javanicum fma. floresianum (Hort.); the last sentence seems, albeit, to make it pure and simple: P. javanicum var. javanicum. But, indeed, a gorgeous exemplar! ;)
But the javanicum pouch is not like the volonteanum pouch as the latter has a engorgement in the lower half and pinched at the upper rim (like a gourd). The javanicum pouch on the other hand is more like flute glass, narrow at bottom and flared opened at the top.
I didn't intend to say, that the pouch, per se, looks like volonteanum - I meant, that I sensed some similarity in respect to its seemingly slightly protruding position, the slightly more acute angle in the placement of the pouch. It's difficult, though, from the present pictures to judge, whether this is just a figment of my immagination, or really there, so looking foreward to the next batch of pictures! :)
 
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The flower is finally fully expanded.

Luckily the dorsal has maintained the flatness without the typical reflex curl at the base. Such a regal flower shape due to the large dorsal size and stance.

Not bad for a first ever javanicum for me. One down, nine to go!

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It seems many feedback from several paph connoisseurs and experts from here and worldwide alike that this is indeed a very special one. It just makes me stoked to be lucky enough to secure several of them from Orchid Inn (thanks Sam!).

And to have this first bloom of a javanicum so beautiful not just to my eyes (as a parent would love his child unconditionally) but to those who have grown these for decades. I'm glad we have a forum like ST to share our joy with the world!
 
The flower is finally fully expanded.

Luckily the dorsal has maintained the flatness without the typical reflex curl at the base. Such a regal flower shape due to the large dorsal size and stance.

Not bad for a first ever javanicum for me. One down, nine to go!

I'm hoping to learn what determines the curl in the dorsal. I have Paph. Graetrixianum that's quite pretty, but the dorsal is curled all the way back so that it touches in the back. It was pretty flat at first - I posted a photo on 12/8 - but has curled over the past couple of weeks. Does anything about the growing conditions affect that? Or is it just the nature of the plant?

Rich
 
Some species flowers naturally recurve at the lower half of the dorsal sepal, especially the insigne and villosum alliance. That's why the flat charlesworthii dorsal were used to breed onto bulldog paphs to flatten them.
 
So its about one month from opening. Still as fresh as day 1. I'm interested to see how long the bloom lasts in this species as there are no records of this aspect. Also dorsal has remained in same plane with no reflexing at base as with most ones I've seen in awards and publications.

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