Phragmipedium guianense, a new species from French Guiana

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To me it looks very different than any other species in the "caudatum" complex. I can see some similarities between this species and Phrag. popowii (aka humboldtii), but it almost looks like it could be a natural hybrid....For one the dorsal is off, and very deformed...second the petals aren't as long as in the other long petaled species..., and third the spots on the inside of the pouch are very different than any other long petaled species...almost looks like it could be a hybrid with Phrag. caricinum. Any thoughts??
 
When I saw the pictures for the first time, the first thing that came to my mind was "klotzschianum" but it seems to me very unlikelily it being a natural hybrid. Species develop very good barriers to avoid hybridation...
 
In the description they have offered a photo of a "population" of the species. If we assume the data collected to write the description is truthful then it is not likely a hybrid since there is a "population".

Maybe it is very different from other species because it is actually a new species.
 
In the description they have offered a photo of a "population" of the species. If we assume the data collected to write the description is truthful then it is not likely a hybrid since there is a "population".

Maybe it is very different from other species because it is actually a new species.

Maybe it started out as a "natural hybrid" at one time, but it got isolated and over time (1000's of years) became stable and thus became its own new species (That is one of the theories of how new species form, by "mixing" of genes of neighboring species). My previous point was more that, I don't think that this species really belongs in the "caudatum" complex as it looks totally different, but I do see some characteristics from this group...

Robert
 
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