Cypripedium tibeticum

[slipperfreak]

I just bought this plant the other day. I wasn't going to bother photographing it, but I had my camera out anyway so I thought, what the hay?

The plant was among a group of plants the seller (Shawn Hillis of Garden Slippers in Calgary) had purchased labeled as Cyp flavum. These have started to flower over the past week or so. They are immediately recognizable as NOT Cyp flavum, and we are pretty much sure that this one is tibeticum (the others that he still has probably are as well).

This plant doesn't look like an amazing example of tibeticum, probably because it is immature. The flower is fairly small, especially for tibeticum. The color is lighter than most tibeticum, but this is a variable species in terms of color. C. franchetii can be ruled out immediately because this plant has glabrous leaves, stem, and ovary. The flower color reminded me of C. froschii, but I believe the plant would be bigger and would have longer, slightly twisted petals if it were froschii. Unfortunately I don't have a formal description of froschii so I don't know any other details about that species to compare it with this. The fact that this plant is blooming on fairly young leaves is another big indication that it's tibeticum. However, the leaves have definitely developed more than a lot of tibeticums do at flowering time.

Anyway, I think it's pretty safe to say that it's a tibeticum, and hopefully future blooms will confirm this by giving me a bigger flower (and, less likely, darker color)! At any rate, it's a pretty plant and I'm glad I bought it. I hope you all enjoy this early glimpse of spring (especially those of us who still have snow on the ground...)

[dounoharm]

very stately....beautiful!

[Zoi2]

I don't know squat about Cypripedium but I think that bloom is very pretty. Thanks for posting the picture.
Joann

[Tindomul]

Hey, very nice! Very informative post too. I love these types of botanical mysteries. hehe.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It's really nice!

Could it be Cyp yunnanense?

[slipperfreak]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

I don't think this is yunnanense, for a few reasons:

1. The leaves of C. yunnanense are conduplicate when young. We don't see that here.

2. The staminode is a bit different.

3. The leaves of C. yunnanense are more developed at flowering time.

[Carl Austin]

It doesn't look very much like C tibeticum but I have no idea what else it might be. Count your blessings that you got a dorsal sepal that displays itself. To me, that's what's remarkable about this Cyp.

Carl

[slipperfreak]

Originally Posted by Carl Austin

It doesn't look very much like C tibeticum but I have no idea what else it might be. Count your blessings that you got a dorsal sepal that displays itself. To me, that's what's remarkable about this Cyp.

Carl

It doesn't have the typical deep maroon color of tibeticum. But, lighter tibeticums are not unheard of.

If the petals were a bit different, I'd call it froschii (whose status as a species is disputed - it is probably a form of tibeticum). As it stands it really does seem to be tibeticum to me, based on Cribb's description of the species. It has all the characteristics of tibeticum except the color, and the leaves are perhaps a bit more developed than usual at this stage. But Cribb also points out in his monograph on the genus that both of these characters are variable. Its identity may be confirmed as the plant grows older.

[WhiteRabbit]

wow! whatever it may be it's beautiful!

[slipperfreak]

An update on the ID of this plant:

I've been talking to a member of another forum, who showed these photos to some friends of his who are scientists and experts on Chinese Cyps. They believe this is Cyp froschii. My initial impression may have been correct after all! I just keep doubting it because it's a very rare plant that Phytesia does not sell, but this is definitely unique among tibeticums if it isn't a froschii (which again is probably an ecotype of tibeticum anyway, which is why they share so many characteristics).

I am still waiting to hear what the representative from Phytesia says. The information he gives will make it easier to confirm the ID of this plant.