Paph Shun Fa Golden

[shakkai]

The cross is malipoense x hangianum. The hangianum makes the flower so big, but so slow to open. This one has been opening for a week now, and its still cupped. But even though its not flat yet, it already has a natural spread of 10.8cm (just over 4 inches).

[jim blanford]

That one is looking great already. Jim.

[Ross]

How big is the plant? Leaf span. I really like the colors on this one (oh you enabler, you )

[shakkai]

Thanks, Jim. I'm hoping to get a nice closeup photo of the staminoid and pouch once the dorsal is more erect. It is a very striking flower!

Ross, Just doing my job!! LOL! This is the first flower on a seedling I got from Germany. Unfortunately, hangianum (and hence, hangianum hybrids) are illegal in the US. If you like this one, though, you could get a Paph. Mem. Larry Heuer, which looks quite similar, if just a bit smaller. The leaf span (total tip-to-tip) is just over 10 inches.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Thanks, Jim. I'm hoping to get a nice closeup photo of the staminoid and pouch once the dorsal is more erect. It is a very striking flower!

Ross, Just doing my job!! LOL! This is the first flower on a seedling I got from Germany. Unfortunately, hangianum (and hence, hangianum hybrids) are illegal in the US. If you like this one, though, you could get a Paph. Mem. Larry Heuer, which looks quite similar, if just a bit smaller. The leaf span (total tip-to-tip) is just over 10 inches.

I never would admit to doing anything illegally (truly). But the substitute sounds fine. I'll look it up. Why would this one be illegal?

[Joansorchid]

I like this one although I am not really a lover of paphs. but this one is so pretty I make exception.
hugs Joan

[shakkai]

Originally Posted by Ross

I never would admit to doing anything illegally (truly). But the substitute sounds fine. I'll look it up. Why would this one be illegal?

A whole can or worms!! From what I understand (and there are lots of people more knowledgeable about this than me!) its basically due to CITES regulations. All Paphs that come from Vietnam and were discovered after Paphs were 'upgraded' to CITES Appendix I in 1989 are illegal in the US - with some small exceptions for confiscated plants that have been bred and 'released' from one of the rescue centers.

It seems that the Vietnamese government never issued CITES docuentation for any plants exported from that country. However, many plants were imported into Taiwan from Vietnam. In Taiwan they were artificially propagated and used for hybridising. Now, pretty much the rest of the world acknowledges that artificially propagated plants are not really relevant to protecting wild collected plants in their native habitat (though one could argue that the more artificially propagated plants there are, the less pressure there is on population in the wild!); however, the US has taken a much stricter interpretation and/or enforcement of the CITES agreement. The US require CITES documentation all the way back to the country of origin (something that Vietnam has never given) and they also require that not only the flask (or seedlings) have the correct documentation (say, if they were made in Taiwan, they have official CITES documents saying they were artificially propagated in Taiwan; but they also require that the parent plants used to produce the seedlings are 'legal' also - ie. they have CITES documentation all the way back.

Hence, apart from some few plants propagated and released by one of the 'rescue centers' that come with the full documentation - I believe there are some Paph. helenae and Paph. vietnamense that have been released - plus the now famous Paph Ho Chi Min - all others are illegal to own in the US.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

all others are illegal to own in the US.

Not to get on a US soapbox, but why is the US the only country controlling certain plant imports. Yet we are the only country not willing to sign the greenhouse gas treaty? this is not aimed at you, but at US members of this board who can pole their congress members to see what is being done? I'm not condoning import of illegally collected plants _ in fact I won't join AOS because they seem to condone (or support) the illegal collection of orchids. But I have a problem with the purchase of items controlled by one country because of their politics, but not controlled by others - whether it be Cuban cigars controlled in US or certain orchids. Yet we have no problem blasting the air with hydrocarbon emmissions. Sorry for the rant, but I guess you hit the button!

[Shirley]

Very interesting reading, Ross and Shannen.

And that is one beautiful paph!

[shakkai]

Joan and Shirley, Thanks! This one sure is eye candy!

Ross, like most things in life there are multiple 'reasons' for enforcing CITES the way the US has chosen to - some with good intentions, some possibly with other intentions. Part of the crux of the problem seems to be that CITES was originally written to protect endangered animal species, not for plants. Hence the prohibition of removing any species or any of its parts from the country of origin. This obviously makes sense in the case of animals, as one would likely have to kill the animal first to be able to remove the 'part'... but for plants, this prohibition means that sending seed pods for artificial propagation is illegal. Something that just doesn't make any sense if conservation of wild populations is your intended goal.

Here's some more information for you:

From the 'horse's mouth'...
Paphiopedilum vietnamense


(I would highly recommend this book to anyone growing - or even with an interest in - Paphs and Phrags. It was my first slipper book, and has been very useful!)
Tropical Slipper Orchids ... - Google Book Search

and finally, right here on OB:
http://www.orchidboard.com/CITES-The...-of-Extinction