What should I call it?

[unhappykat]

Hello All

I received a division of a Plant labeled Paph. esquiroli. I did a little research and found it to have been renamed paph. hirsutissimum var. esquiroli, at least I thought it was, but when reading descriptions of the plant and its variations the leaves of mine are a crisp clear green on both sides which is consistent with hirsutissimum var. esquiroli but IOSPE PHOTOS says that the 'var. esquiroli' is native to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern Chinawhile I know for a fact that my plant was collected in India. The variations collected in Inda display green leaves with purple mottling underneath but mine has no coloring. If I know it was collected in India but it has no pigmentation underneath the leaves does that man the natural range of 'var. esquiroli' is larger than previously thought or is it a natural mutation within the species? Does anyone have any thoughts, comments, suggestions on how I should, could, would determine what it is?

Thanks
-Edwin

[shakkai]

I personally believe that there is much more natural variation amongst species that our naming conventions allow for.

The data that I can see for hirsutissimum says the range is from northeast India and Burma, so I think it just depends on who listen to. I also saw a reference that said it was hirsutissimum that had the purple spotting on the underside of the leaves.

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum

I think the flower type is the differentiating factor between the two.

[unhappykat]

I suppose i will just have to wait for a bloom before i can tell what is going on. Hopefully this spring, it has 9 growths but not one old bloom spike on this division.

Thank you for the link.