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var. lindleyanum	var. sargentianum

Phragmipedium lindleyanum (Schomburgk ex. Lindley) Rolfe

• Basionym: Cypripedium lindleyanum Schomburgk ex Lindley in Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants, 531 (1840)
• Latin Diagnosis (Lindley 1830-40): "C. acaule, foliis radicalibus lanceolatis rigidis coriaceis acutis plicatis glabris, scapo rufo-villoso paniculato vaginato, vaginis bracteisque fuscis acutis cucullatis rigidis, stamine sterili hirsuto tridentato fornicato, sepalis villosis concavis obtusis antico labello breviore integro, petalis lineari-oblongis rectis obtusis villosis sepalis longioribus, labello oblongo calceiformi glabro."
• English Description (Lindley 1830-40): "It is a most remarkable species, with green stiff leaves, smooth, and bordered with yellow. The stem is two feet high, panicled!, and covered with large hooded erect scales and bracts, which are of a pale brown colour, and densely clothed with brown glandular hairs. The sepals and petals are of the same colour; but the lip is dull green, with the sides streaked with the same colour, and the border turned inwards and downwards; its sides appear to be brought together as if the labellum were compressed. The sterile stamen, and stigmatic part of the column, are covered with stiff hairs or bristles."
• Etymology (Lindley 1830-40): "I unwillingly consent, at the particular instance of Mr. Schomburgk, to allow this plant to bear my name, who have no title to the compliment."
• Transferred: Rolfe in Orchid Review, 4: 332 (1896)
• History: Phrag. lindleyanum was first collected by Robert Schomburgk during his trip to Mt. Roraima in April, 1839.  It was collected near Mt. Roraima again in 1842, this time by both of the Schomburgk brothers.
• Varieties & Forms:
  Phragmipedium lindleyanum var. sargentianum (Rolfe in Orchid Review, 4: 332 (1896)) Gruss in Orchid Digest, 67(4): 228 (2003)
• Synonyms:
  Selenipedium kaieteurum N.E. Brown in Gardener's Chronicle, 24: 262 (1885)
• Chromosome Count - as Phrag. lindleyanum

  2n =	metacentrics	telocentrics	n.f.
  22	12	10	34

• Chromosome Count - as Phrag. sargentianum

  2n =	metacentrics	telocentrics	n.f.
  22	12	10	34

Plant Habit

• Leaves: 30-110 cm long, 3-8 cm wide, margins usually yellow, "base often red" (McCook 1989)
• Inflorescence: variable, 10-30 flowered, blooming sequentially, 50-230 cm tall, up to 1 cm in diameter, reddish brown, hirsute
• Bloom: 7-9 cm wide, yellow- to olive-green suffused with reddish-brown
• Plant: size extremely variable and dependant on habitat conditions

Habitat Data

• Distribution -
  
• Elevation: usually 1000-2200 m, although it may be found at lower elevations in very cool, wet conditions
• Peak Flowering in the Wild: "Information from herbarium specimens and published reports indicates that flowering is possible most months of the year." (McCook 1989)
• Ecology: "It is found in wet meadows, in wet root mats in secondary forests, clinging to rocks along streams and seeps, and in the splash zones of waterfalls." (McCook 1989)
• Mean Temperature Range: 17-19° C
• Light: partial sun to light shade
• Medium: acidic; muddy humus, clinging to rocks near running water, mats of vegetation
• Water: constant moisture, sandstone environment leads to an extremely acidic water supply, pH ~3-4

Notes:

• Phrag. kaieteurum seems to fit comfortably within the species concept of Phrag. lindleyanum.  I separate Phrag. lindleyanum var. sargentianum with apprehension, but its geographical separation and collection of minor morphological differences seem enough to warrant status as an independent taxon.

Sources:

• Dunsterville, G.C.K., and L.A. Garay. Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated, Vol I. Amsterdam: Andre Deutsch Ltd., 1959.
• Dunsterville, G.C.K., and E. Dunsterville. "Blackwaters, Acid Rain and Blackwater Orchids." Orchid Digest 47, no. 3 (May/Jun 1983): 84-90.
• Karasawa, K. "Karyomorphological Studies in Phragmipedium, Orchidaceae." Bulletin of the Hiroshima Botanical Garden 3 (Dec 1980): 1-49.
• 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.
• Lindley, John. The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants. London: Ridgways, Piccadilly, 1830-40, p. 531.
• McCook, Lucile M. "Systematics of Phragmipedium (Cypripedioideae; Orchidaceae)," Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University, 1989.

Primary Hybrids

Primary Hybrids - registered as Phrag. kaieteurum

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Last Updated: 8-4-06
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