CYPRIPEDIUM | Herbarium Digital Library


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CYPRIPEDIUM

Category: Plants and Orchids
Date Posted: 2006-10-13

THE THREE PROMINENT PHILIPPINE LADYSLIPPERS ARE Cypripedium Haynaldiarzum, Cs philippinensi.c and C. Argus and all are endemic; that is, found only within the Philippines. Considerable controversy exists regarding the correct nomenclature of the CYPRIPEDIEAE and in various literature the species of this group have been referred to as Eucypripedia, Selenlpedla PAPHIOPEDILUM, CORDULA, and CYPRIPEDIUM.
All Ladyslippers differ from other orchids because they are a group with two fertile anthers (pollen-bearing parts of the stamen), whereas the other orchids have but a single pollen-bearing part. Consequently, the Ladyslippers are called Diandrae, while all other orchids are grouped under the subfamily Monandraes. Plants of the subdivision Diandraes are distributed quite widely throughout the world and there are two general geographical groups; the hardy ones of the temperate regions and the tropical ones. The tribe has also been subdivided botanically in accordance with characteristic botanical features. Some authorities group certain of the tropical Ladyslippers, and those from which the wilted flowers fall, as Paphiopedilum. Whereas those from the temperate zone, which do not lose their withered flowers, are classed as Cypripedium. The dried flower of Philippine Cypripedium remains on the stalk until the stalk dries and falls from the plant. For the general orchid enthusiast, however, Cypripedium is a satisfactory generic name and when these plants are so referred to, everyone usually knows that it is a type of Ladyslipper which is being discussed.

The most unusual of the three species in the Philippines, C, philippinensis, comes from the southern island of Mindanao and surrounding islands where it is collected on the limestone rock formations often in company with Vandopsis lissochiloides C. philippinensis is characterized by extremely long narrow twisted petals often six to eight inches in length and about one-quarter of an inch wide. These plants have dark-green leaves about twelve inches long and one to 1'/Z inches wide, which are not mottled nor veined. Several flowers develop on a single flower stem that grows from the center of the plant. The dorsal sepal is white with purplish stripes; lower sepals, as is characteristic of Cypripediums, are joined into a single organ which is smaller than the upper sepal and almost white with light-green stripes. The prominent long twisted lateral petals hang down and the labellum or slipper is greenish, veined, and has purplish hairs about it. The plant blooms during March and April.

The first of this species to be collected were obtained by John Veitch, who found it originally on the island of Guinares in 1864, associated it with Vandopsis lissochiloides for which he was searching. The specific name philippinentis refers to the area in which the Cypripedium is endemic.
C. Haynaldiaaium was originally collected from the Philippines by Gustav Wallis in 1873, and is named in honor of Dr. Haynald, who was Archbishop of Koloesa, Hungary, at that time, a zealous botanist and an active promoter of science. This, species has fleshy leaves similar to those of C. philippinensis, about twelve inches long, and the hairy flower stalk, upon which three to six flowers are produced, is about twelve inches high. The individual blooms are about three to four inches across the petals. The dorsal sepal is yellowish with purple spots and stripes, and the lateral petals, which are about 1 1/2 inches long, have a slight twist, are purplish tipped and have dark purple-brown dots. The slipper-shaped labellum is greenish with purple-brown veins and has two small ear-like appendages:

This species is distributed quite generally throughout the islands of the Archipelago, being found in the limestone hills from sea level to about three thousand feet elevation and a considerable number of plants have been collected from Tarlac, Rizal, and Occidental Negros Provinces. The plant blooms during February and March and the flowers are long-lasting,remaining on the plant in good condition for four weeks or more.

The third species, C. Argus, derives its name from the warty eyelike spots on its petals. In Greek mythology, the Argus was a monster with a hundred eyes. This species was also discovered by Gustav Wallis in 1872, on Luzon where it is collected from higher altitudes of two thousand feet to seven thousand feet elevation; especially from Bontoc and Benguet subprovinces, Mountain Province, Tayabas, and Oriental Negros. The plant is a handsome one, with mottled green leaves and an erect flower spike which supports one flower. This flower, a long-lasting one, remaining on the plant for more than a month, is about 2 1/2 to three inches across the petals; the dorsal sepal is whitish, with green stripes and the two lower sepals, as in all Cypripediums, are joined. The petals are whitish spotted with dark-purple wart-like dots from which its specific name is derived and are purplish toward the tips. The slipper is greenish with dark-purple veins. The flowering season is from March through May, which are the months at the end of the dry season in the Mountain Province area.

C. Argus appears as several varieties, among those C. Argus, Var. Moensii, a distinct form with somewhat larger flowers of darker coloring and larger and more numerous wartlike outgrowths. The plant is also larger and has darker venations.
The native Ladyslippers are true ground orchids and, therefore, should not be treated as aerials. Instead they should be potted in appropriate soils. These plants have fleshy leaves and, no -pseudo-bulbs and so should not be allowed' to completely dry out in cultivation. It is possible to propagate plants of this genus asexually by division of the old clumps.