Paphiopedilum urbanianum

[chris_todd]

I bought this about a month ago at the Woodstream Orchids open house. It was in bud at the time. Over the last weekend it bloomed (maybe this species likes to bloom during 24" snow storms? ). It has one mature growth, and two very small growths. Given how beautiful this flower is, I'm really hoping it will someday grow to be a beautiful multi-growth specimen plant like that shown in Koopowitz's 'Tropical Slipper Orchids' book.

I'm a lousy photographer with a fairly limiting point-n-shoot, but hopefully these pics aren't that bad.

I love the symmetry of the dorsal sepal, and the petals have a satiny iridescent sheen to them that doesn't quite come out in the pics:


The staminode is fascinating:


Another slightly under-exposed view: