Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (Reichenbach fil.) Stein
- Described: Reichenbach fil. in Gardener's Chronicle, 3rd series, 3: 457 (1888)
- Transferred: Stein in Stein's Orchideenbuch, 482 (1892)
- Etymology: Named after Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, an eminent Victorian orchid grower.
- Varieties & Forms: none
- Synonyms:
Cypripedium elliottianum O'Brien in Gardener's Chronicle, 3rd series, 4: 501 (1888) and Gower in The Garden, 34: 408 (1888)
- Chromosome Count -
| 2n = |
metacentrics |
telocentrics |
n.f. |
| 26 |
26 |
0 |
52 |
Plant Habit
- Leaves: 4-8, up to 60 cm long, 4-5 cm wide, plain green
- Inflorescence: 2-6 flowered, up to 45 cm long
- Bloom: 14-35 cm wide
- Plant:
Habitat Data
- Distribution -
- Elevation: 500-900 m
- Peak Flowering in the Wild: April-May
- Ecology: steep serpentine ravines above rivers
- Mean Temperature Range: 12-25°C
- Light: light shade
- Medium: ultra-basic rock, mosses, grasses, leaf litter
- Water (D-drier, M-moderate, W-wetter) -
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Water |
M |
D |
M |
M |
W |
W |
M |
M |
W |
W |
W |
W |
Notes:
- From Atwood 1985: "The simplest explanation for this pollination system seems to be that it is a case of brood-site deception as evidenced by egg-laying behavior of the flies and presence of eggs on the staminode, the paucity of larvae found among the flowers, and the lack of reward available once the pollinator is trapped."
- The identity of the taxon Paphiopedilum elliottianum is in doubt. Asher 1983 and Braem 2003 consider it a 'lost' species, whereas Cribb 1997, 1998 considers it conspecific with Paphiopedilum rothschildianum. Based on the evidence presented in Asher's exhaustive analysis, I believe that P. elliottianum is a clone of P. rothschildianum, having an aberrant staminode with a bifid apex. The other minor differences in color and morphology do not seem nearly enough to warrant recognition at even the varietal level.
Sources:
- Asher, J.H. Jr. "Paphiopedilum adductum Asher, New Species from the Philippines, With Notes About P. rothschildianum (Rchb.f.) Pfitz. and P. elliottianum (O'Brien) Fowlie." Orchid Digest 47, no. 6 (Nov/Dec 1983): 213-36.
- Atwood, J.T. "Pollination of Paphiopedilum rothschildianum: Brood-Site Deception." National Geographic Research 1, no. 2 (1985): 247-54.
- Bechtel, Paul G. "Cultural Challenges, Paphiopedilum rothschildianum and Its Hybrids (A Guide to Success with Temperamental Orchids)." Orchid Digest 47, no. 5 (Sep/Oct 1983): 164-65.
- Braem, Guido J., and Guy Chiron. Paphiopedilum. Saint-Genis Laval, France: Tropicalia, 2003.
- Cribb, Phillip J. Slipper Orchids of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: Natural History Publications, 1997.
- Cribb, Phillip J. The Genus Paphiopedilum. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: Natural History Publications in association with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1998.
- Fitch, Charles Marden. "Perky Paphiopedilums: A Bounty of Color and Pattern Awaits Those Who Explore Slipper Orchids." Orchids 73, no. 6 (Jun 2004): 428-33.
- Fowlie, J.A. "Malaya Revisited, Part XXIV: Paphiopedilum dayanum and Paphiopedilum rothschildianum on Serpentine Cliffs on Mount Kinabalu, Eastern Malaysia (Formerly North Borneo)." Orchid Digest 47, no. 5 (Sep/Oct 1983): 175-82.
- Hooker, J.D. "Cypripedium rothschildianum. Native of New Guinea." Curtis's Botanical Magazine 116 (1890): Tab. 7102. <view article>
- Karasawa, K. "Karyomorphological Studies in Paphiopedilum, Orchidaceae." Bulletin of the Hiroshima Botanical Garden 2 (Mar 1979): 1979.
Primary Hybrids
| Paph. rothschildianum x |
Hybrid |
| armeniacum |
Dollgoldi |
| delenatii |
Delrosi |
| emersonii |
Gerd Röllke |
| malipoense |
Harold Koopowitz |
| micranthum |
Gloria Naugle |
| vietnamense |
Wössner Vietnam Star |
| bellatulum |
Rolfei |
| concolor |
Mark Hasegawa |
| godefroyae |
Daisy Barclay |
| niveum |
Woluwense |
| boxallii |
Edith |
| druryi |
Cooksonii |
| fairrieanum |
Unique |
| gratrixianum |
Lutz Röllke |
| henryanum |
Dolliroth |
| hirsutissimum |
Humoresque |
| insigne |
Ingens |
| spicerianum |
Faroultii |
| tigrinum |
Geoffrey Hands |
| villosum |
Vacuna |
| acmodontum |
Jeffery Bevis |
| appletonianum |
Apple-Roths |
| argus |
Mrs. Rehder |
| barbatum |
Tringiense |
| callosum |
Callo-Rothschildianum |
| ciliolare |
Oakes Ames |
| curtisii |
A. de Lairesse |
| dayanum |
Kimballianum |
| hennisianum |
Doctor Jack Fowlie |
| hookerae |
Jupiter |
| lawrenceanum |
Wiertzianum |
| mastersianum |
Dellense |
| sukhakulii |
Iantha Stage |
| superbiens |
W. R. Lee |
| tonsum |
Solon |
| urbanianum |
Marcel Lecoufle |
| venustum |
Bruxellense |
| violascens |
Susan Salzman |
| wardii |
Garnet Crown |
| adductum |
Johanna Burkhardt |
| glanduliferum |
Susan Booth |
| haynaldianum |
Houghtoniae |
| kolopakingii |
Bel Royal |
| lowii |
Julius |
| parishii |
William Trelease |
| philippinense |
Saint Swithin |
| platyphyllum |
Taiwan |
| randsii |
Gemstone's Randschild |
| richardianum |
Lawless Richchild |
| sanderianum |
Prince Edward of York |
| stonei |
Lady Isabel |
| supardii |
David Ott |
| wilhelminiae |
William Ambler |
| chamberlainianum |
Transvaal |
| glaucophyllum |
Vanguard |
| liemianum |
Transdoll |
| moquetteanum |
Caroline Hands |
| primulinum |
Prime Child |
| victoria-mariae |
Riefer Dirndln |
| victoria-reginae |
Andronicus |
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Page Created By: Stephen Manza
Last Updated: 10-23-06
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