Phragmipedium kaieteurum

[Mahon]

Here's a beautiful species primarily from Suriname and Guyana... I only keep Phragmipedium kaieteurum seperated from Phrag. lindleyanum because of the plant habit and minor floral characteristics...

Phragmipedium kaieteurum


Inflorescence


-Pat

[Tindomul]

Beautiful!! I really like Phrags more than Paphs!

[smartie2000]

Nice one!
This guy seems to have lighter colour than the lindleyanum I've seen

[phragguy]

very nice.

[orcdfrk]

good growing Pat.

[Phal]

Hey,

I'm preparing a trip to Suriname February 2008. So any information on Suriname-orchids I try to check!
This way I crossed you're mail!

If I find a name I don't know I check the KEW-Checklist!
Seems Phragmipedium kaieteurum is no correct name.

I hope this information helps you. Further its a nice plant. I wish I could find it in the wild. (Not to collect, just to make picture!)

Regards,
Pat,

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Copy of KEW-information
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist Series


Phragmipedium kaieteurum (N.E.Br.) Garay, Orchid Digest 43: 136 (1979).
This name is a synonym.

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Accepted Name: Phragmipedium lindleyanum (M.R.Schomb. ex Lindl.) Rolfe, Orchid Rev. 4: 332 (1896).

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Family: Orchidaceae

Homotypic Synonyms:
* Selenipedium kaieteurium N.E.Br., Gard. Chron., n.s., 24: 262 (1885).

Selenipedium lindleyanum var. kaieteurium (N.E.Br.) Cogn. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 3(4): 14 (1893).

Paphiopedilum kaieteurum (N.E.Br.) V.A.Albert & Börge Pett., Lindleyana 9: 137 (1994).

* Basionym/Replaced Synonym

[Phantasm]

This group of plants have been lumped into one concept or split into varieties or species based on small differences. You can easily make the argument that Phrag kaeiteurum, lindleyanum and sargentianum are just variations on a theme. They certainly are very closely related and are probably geographical variants.

[Mahon]

Phrag. lindleyanum, Phrag. sargentianum, and Phrag. kaieteurum can be considered as variants of a single taxon (without specificity to which species is the "base"), as Phantasm described. There are a few differences between these taxa, and geographical location could play a large role in these differences.

The Kew treatment for Phrag. kaieteurum as synonymy may be wrong, or it may be correct. The true Phrag. kaieteurum are somewhat different from Phrag. lindleyanum (also refer to their hybrids, which also display some differences from each other when you switch the fundamental parents [P. lindleyanum, P. sargentianum, and P. kaieteurum] crossed with a single taxon or hybrid). The editors for Kew tend to add their biases to the treatments. The advisable treatment is that of IPNI (The International Plant Names Index). There is not much room for biased input in the system (meaning NONE), so it displays the most accepted epithets, citing synonyms and baisonyms. After seeing Kew's treatment upon Subtribe Pleurothallidinae, I disregarded the entire system.

[Phantasm]

I agree with Pat, Kew does seem to be a bit abrupt lately with their changes and taxonomy does evolve over time so these names will probably be revisited. All of these species have been used in breeding and the progeny is slightly different. To my experience Phrag sargentianum is the best of the lot for hybridizing and adds the most color. Of course, it could be related to the quality of the specific clones used but typically Phrag sargentianum has better flowers than the other two.

To make it even more complicated the revised names are used in hybrids and causing more confusion as supposedly same species are creating different results. They have certainly made a mess of things!

[Toddybear]

That's a great Phrag...I have several hybrids using this one but not the species itself.