Who am I ????

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

I bought this plant a number of years ago. Matter a fact, I bought two of them from the same seller from the classified ads on The Orchid Mall. The label says Paph rothschildianum ( 'Sunlight Paradise' x Sunlight 'Giant') I've had a tough go with this plant. It arrived only slightly smaller then it is now. I had it in S/H for a number of years and now back into bark for the last year and a half. It is a two growth plant. The main growth that is in bud has a leaf span of 12 inches. The second growth is almost the same size. As you can see the leaves are totally green in color. The leaves are only 3/4 of an inch wide. I noticed the spike this morning while watering. One can tell just by looking at the spike that this plant is mislabeled. The plant has some dark purple at the base of the plant. The spike that is just breaking threw the sheath is hairy and dark. We won't know for sure until it blooms but what might this be? Naturally, we may never know if it turns out to be a cross rather than a species. Any thoughts on this one?

 

[Marc]

Either Paph. hirsitisimum or Paph. esquirolei ( or hirisitisimum var. esquirolei )

Bud looks very similar to the one I posted here:

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19434

 

[paphioboy]

How large is the plant? More roth-sized or hirsut-sized?

 

[goldenrose]

I think Marc has it, the plant form pretty much says it as well as the bud.

 

[rob]

Hi Bob,
I also have 10 plants of that cross, they came from a Hawaiin wholesaler. They have been slow growers for me as well. I got the green valley x flying wings x at the same time and the later has grown much faster. The one thing I can say is my Sunlight xs do not have the purple casting on the base of the plant that your's has. Mine are only single growths but are starting to show signs of new growths. Hopefully they will spike next year and then we see if they are mislabeled as well

 

[Rick]

There's something not quite right for straight hirsuitisimum/esquirolii. IMHO.

The hint of striping on the bract. Kind of large floppy leaves with pigment at the base. One readily visible leaf has a rounded rather than pointy tip.

I just double checked my esquirolii for comparison. besides the above notes, the synsepals are darker, and there is a a whitish stripe at the margin where they are joined.

That stripe along the bud may be missing in yours since the petals are pushing through and the bud is opening up more, but we may need to see this flower open up more before blessing this as a species hirsuit.

 

[JeanLux]

Agree with Rick: the bud looks hirs. like to me but not the foliage!!! Jean

 

[valenzino]

hirsutissimum x ?

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Paphioboy, if you reread my post I already gave the size of the plants leaf span as well as how many growths and even the width of the leaves. I don't think there is anything more that I can tell you about the plant.

I've never bloomed a hirsitisimum so don't know how the plant size compares. What I can tell you is that no roth of that size has ever bloomed. Least not for me. Hirsitisimum came to my mind as well but had the idea that they had to be many, many growths. I only have one plant of hirstissimum and it is many growths but has never bloomed. I'll post the flower once it blooms.

 

[GaryB]

hirsitisimum should be fairly easy to identify from it's blooming habit; it makes a sheath like a cattleya and the spike takes a long time to emerge

 

[NYEric]

If it's hirsuit I'll take it off your hands!