Neither I have been able to make head nor tales of Cribb's distinction between P. superbiens var. superbiens and var. curtisii.
I have in my possession 3 plants from reliable and very experienced vendors: 1 labelled superbiens, 2 labelled curtisii - there is a difference in leaf colour, but as one of the curtisii is closer in the colouring to the one labelled superbiens, nothing to distinguish them from one another (and may I remind you of the fact, that the distinct difference in leaf colouring of P. dayanum doesn't render it two different varieties!).
And Cribb's main distinctive features, the difference in petal shape (slight) and length in proportion to the pouch, doesn't help me with my 3 plant, either...and is that actually really enough to give a varietal status? Far from being a botanist, I still have my doubts.
I recently acquired a plant like the one, you got from Popow, Rick, but from another source. It's so clearly different from the other 3 - and fits the description for superbiens, that you quote from Walters & Walters.
I therefor tend to think, that you might be right in your assertion:
To me, what has been call superbiens for years is in fact different variations of curtisii
But what we need now is someone going back to the original descriptions for superbiens and curtisii, respectively, by Reichenbach f. and maybe later Pfitzer; and examining the herbarium specimens for the described plants, while comparing them to the plants posing the present problems. Maybe helped a bit along the road by genetic analysis, too?
And by the way, Rick, your plant from Popow - and the flower is truly beautifull! Please, keep us posted, when the other buds are fully opened!
Kind regards,
Jens
