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Phragmipedium klotzschianum (Reichenbach fil.) Rolfe

• Basionym: Cypripedium klotzscheanum Reichenbach fil. in Schomburgk, Versuch einer Flora und Fauna von Guayana, p. 1969 (1848), and Die Orchideen in Linnaea 22: 811 (1849)
• Transferred: Rolfe in Orchid Review, 4: 332 (1896)
• Etymology: Named for Dr. Johann Klotzsch, then curator of the Berlin Herbarium.  The species epithet was improperly spelled klotzscheanum by Reichenbach fil. in the original description, but was corrected in his subsequent publications.  Current ICBN guidelines call for correcting these sorts of errors and the proper spelling of the epithet is klotzschianum.
• Varieties & Forms: none
• Synonyms:
  Phragmipedium schomburgkianum Klotzsch fide Schomburgk in Botanical Reminiscence of British Guaiana, p. 59 (1876)
• Chromosome Count - unknown

Plant Habit

• Leaves: 13-39 cm long, ~1 cm wide, grass-like
• Inflorescence: 2-4 flowered, 20-55 cm long, brown-red, pilose
• Bloom: ~8 cm wide

  offset

• Plant: rhizomes stoloniferous, similar to Phrag. caricinum

Habitat Data

• Distribution - Gran Sabana of Venezuela and adjacent areas of Guyana and Brazil
  
• Elevation: 400-1400 m
• Peak Flowering in the Wild: September-March, the dry season
• Ecology: in or around running water in regions of sandstone, plant may stay submerged for several days or longer during rainy periods
• Mean Temperature Range: 19-21°C
• Light: light-moderate shade
• Medium: acidic sandy soils amongst sandstone rocks, sometimes directly on boulders
• Water: constantly wet, plants occasionally becoming completely submerged by rising water, sandstone environment leads to an extremely acidic water supply, pH ~3-4

Notes:

• Often found growing with Sobralia stenophylla.
• Kromer (1911-12) found Phrag. klotzschianum in British Guiana (now Guyana) while searching for Cattleya lawrenceana.  He found it, "in the lower bed of the [Kukenaam] river, growing amongst grasses and in high water, completely covered over, we came across large clumps of Cypripedium Klotschianum, but its flower I found anything but attractive."

Sources:

• Christenson, E.A., and T. Henkel. "Phragmipedium klotzscheanum." American Orchid Society Bulletin 64, no. 10 (Oct 1995): 1100-01.
• Dunsterville, G.C.K., and E. Dunsterville. "Blackwaters, Acid Rain and Blackwater Orchids." Orchid Digest 47, no. 3 (May/Jun 1983): 84-90.
• Dunsterville, G.C.K., and E. Dunsterville. "Orchids of Venezuela, Hunting Phragmipedium klotzscheanum - An Agony in Eight Fits." American Orchid Society Bulletin 51, no. 7 (Jul 1982): 709-12.
• Hooker, J.D. "Cypripedium Klotzscheaum. Native of New Guinea." Curtis's Botanical Magazine 117 (1891): Tab. 7178. <view article>
• Kromer, E. "An Orchid Collector's Travels Through British Guiana to Brazil." Orchid World 2, no. 3,4,5,6,8 (Dec,Jan,Feb,Mar,May 1911-12): 55-57, 88-90, 107-10, 136-39, 175-77.
• McCook, L.M. "Systematics of Phragmipedium (Cypripedioideae; Orchidaceae)," Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University, 1989.
• McCook, L.M. "The Genus Phragmipedium - Part II." American Orchid Society Bulletin 59, no. 2 (Feb 1990): 153-58.
• McCook, L.M. "An Annotated Checklist of the Genus Phragmipedium." Orchid Digest special publication (1998): 1-12.

Primary Hybrids

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Page Created By: Stephen Manza
Last Updated: 8-1-06
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