Paphiopedilum wenshanense

[Djthomp28]

I grew this from a flask by Mostly species. It was left over from Orchid Zone stock. The label is wenshanense x self. No other details were available. Imagine my surprise as the buds formed, and the first flower opened. See the start of the discussion on the color here: wenshanense questions

The flower has been at this shape for several days, so I am calling it open. There are 5 seedlings in this compot. hopefully the shape will improve a bit when the roots get their own space and the plants mature.

 

[Roth]

Definitely an artificial hybrid with the dilute form of bellatulum... The Orchid Zone got quite a few stocks as well from Thailand as motherplants, from a couple of years before they closed, and one of the nurseries that had bellatulum dilute x concolor definitely visited the Orchid Zone...

This said, as wenshenanse, it is definitely not. As a plant that can be used as a parent to 'wash off' or clean the color of the other parent, in hybrids, it is very interesting....

 

[Djthomp28]

Thanks @Roth I have been very curious to learn more. Your details help. I have a few more questions.

What points to this not being wenshanense? Also to clarify, do you believe there is more than bellatulum and concolor in its background? Or are you saying this is Conco-bellatulum?

The species upgrade of wenshanense still leaves some murkiness in my mind.

 

[Roth]

Thanks @Roth I have been very curious to learn more. Your details help. I have a few more questions.

What points to this not being wenshanense? Also to clarify, do you believe there is more than bellatulum and concolor in its background? Or are you saying this is Conco-bellatulum?

The species upgrade of wenshanense still leaves some murkiness in my mind.

It is a conco-bellatulum, they did this hybrid between a dilute bellatulum and a concolor with green leaves. The dilute bellatulum usually have dominant green leaves as well in breeding, The concolor with green leaves you have examples here:

https://www.bloggang.com/m/viewdiary.php?id=finchfocus&month=10-2010&date=01&group=14&gblog=7
They usually have a much rounder flower, some with very tall erect flower spikes too, the leaves are very juicy ( not like the concolor var. chlorophyllum we sometimes see...), which makes some people think they have ang-thong in its background as well, and were bred back in the 90s.

Wenshanense has purple leaves actually, quite similar to bellatulum in general, but shinier, and darker markings, and they are wild collected or its progeny. They can indeed be quite variable, but not with green leaves and the dilute bellatulum spots at the same time...

 

[Djthomp28]

@Roth Thank you for the detailed explanation!