Phragmipedium

Phragmipedium
Phragmipedium caudatum in situ in southern Peru
Conservation status
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Cypripedioideae
Genus:	Phragmipedium Rolfe
Type species
Phragmipedium caudatum
Synonyms[2]
Uropedium Lindl. Phragmipedilum Rolfe

Phragmipedium is a genus of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae) (Subfamily Cypripedioideae) and the only genus comprised in the tribe Phragmipedieae and subtribe Phragmipediinae. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek phragma, which means "division", and pedium, which means "slipper" (referring to the pouch). It is abbreviated 'Phrag' in trade journals.^{[clarification needed]}

About 20 species of these lady's slipper orchids are known from SW Mexico, Central and tropical South America.^[2]

All Phragmipedium species are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning that commercial international trade in wild-sourced specimens is prohibited, while non-commercial trade is regulated.^[1]

The genus Phragmipedium is divided into several sections :

• Phragmipedium : P. caudatum, P. exstaminodium, P. lindenii
• Himantopetalum : P. caricinum, P. christiansenianum, P. pearcei, P. klotzscheanum, P. richteri, P. tetzlaffianum.
• Platypetalum : P. lindleyanum
• Lorifolia : P. boissierianum, P. hirtzii, P. longifolium, P. vittatum
• Micropetalum : P. besseae, P. besseae var. dalessandroi, P. fischeri, P. schlimii.
• Schluckebieria : P. kovachii

The exact number of species is still being discussed among specialists : O. Gruss recognizes 20 species, compared to the 15 species accepted by Lucile M. McCook (see References).

Most Phragmipedium species are either terrestrial, epiphytic or lithophytic in habit. They show a unique shieldlike staminode, long, moustache-like petals and a 3-locular ovary. The large pouchlike lip is curved inwards at the margins. The acute leaves attain a length of about 80 cm. The stem lacks pseudobulbs and grows about 80 cm high, showing 2 to 3 flowers.

Phragmipedium besseae was first found in Peru by Elizabeth Locke Besse in 1981. Soon afterwards, the site was plundered and destroyed by orchid hunters. Luckily enough seed was preserved, to avert extinction. This orchid is unusual, because its flowers have a bright orange-red to almost strong salmon-red color (there is also a yellow variety), unseen in any lady's slipper orchid. The oval-shaped petals are wide. The narrow leaves are elliptic in shape. It has since been used extensively in hybridization.

Phragmipedium caudatum is considered a complex, i.e. it could contain several species or subspecies, based on differences in flower size and color. This orchid with a short stem is semi-terrestrial, semi-lithophytic to epiphytic, depending on the substrate . The cream-colored flowers are laced with greenish stripes. The lateral spiraling, drooping petals are red-tinted and very long, even reaching the soil. They grow on wet, moss-covered hillsides.

Phragmipedium lindleyanum, named after John Lindley, forms a rosette of five long linear leaves with a yellow margin, reaching a length of 50 cm. The erect raceme can grow as high as 1 m. It is many-flowered and sometimes branched at the basis. The flowers open in succession, giving the orchid a long blooming period. The hoary flowers are green with brown veins. The glabrous, pouchlike lip is yellow, with red veins.

Phragmipedium longifolium, described in 1852 by H.G. Reichenbach f. and J. v. Warscewicz, has long lanceolate leaves without yellow margin, growing to a length of 60 cm. The inflorescence reaches a length of 1 m, with about 10 flowers, opening in succession. The long lateral petals are purplish green. The rather small glabrous labellum has a green color.

Allied genera include Paphiopedilum, Selenipedium, Cypripedium and the monotypic Mexipedium.

There are many interspecific hybrids. Rare crossings have been made between Phragmipedium and Paphiopedilum.

The genus Uropedium Lindl. is generally included in Phragmipedium.

The following species ordered by sections are recognized by Plants of the World Online As of May 2024^[update]:^[3]

Section	Image	Name	Distribution
Himantopetalum		Phragmipedium caricinum (Lindl. & Paxton) Rolfe	Bolivia.
		Phragmipedium pearcei (Veitch ex J.Dix) Rauh & Senghas	Ecuador to N. Peru.
		Phragmipedium klotzschianum (Rchb.f.) Rolfe	SE. Venezuela to Guyana and N. Brazil.
Lorifolia		Phragmipedium boissierianum (Rchb.f. & Warsz.) Rolfe	S. Ecuador to Peru.
		Phragmipedium cabrejosii Damian, M.Díaz & Pupulin	Peru
		Phragmipedium hirtzii Dodson	N. Ecuador.
		Phragmipedium longifolium (Warsz. & Rchb.f.) Rolfe	Costa Rica to Ecuador.
		Phragmipedium vittatum (Vell.) Rolfe	WC. & SE. Brazil.
Micropetalum		Phragmipedium besseae Dodson & J.Kuhn	Ecuador to N. Peru.
		Phragmipedium ramiroi Kolan. & Szlach.	Colombia
		Phragmipedium schlimii (Linden ex Rchb.f.) Rolfe	Colombia
Platypetalum		Phragmipedium lindleyanum (R.H.Schomb. ex Lindl.) Rolfe	N. South America to Pernambuco, Brazil.
Phragmipedium		Phragmipedium caudatum (Lindl.) Rolfe	Bolivia to Peru.
		Phragmipedium guianense Sambin & Braem	French Guyana
		Phragmipedium humboldtii (Warsz.) J.T.Atwood & Dressler	Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama
		Phragmipedium lindenii (Lindl.) Dressler & N.H.Williams	Venezuela to Ecuador.
		Phragmipedium warszewiczianum (Rchb.f.) Schltr.	S Mexico to Panama.
Schluckebieria		Phragmipedium kovachii J.T.Atwood, Dalström & Ric.Fernández	San Martin, Peru

The following Natural hybrids are recognized:

Image	Name	Parentage	Distribution
	Phragmipedium × pfitzerianum O.Gruss	P. longifolium × P. warszewiczianum.	Ecuador
	Phragmipedium × richteri Roeth & O.Gruss	P. boissierianum × P. pearcei	Ecuador to N. Peru
	Phragmipedium × talamancanum Pupulin & M.Díaz	P. humboldtii × P. longifolium	Costa Rica to Panama

• Albert, V.Z. & B.Pettersson, Expansion of Genus Paphiopedilum Pfitzer to Include All Conduplicate-leaved Slipper Orchids (Cypripedioideae: Orchidaceae). Lindleyana 9(2) 133-139 (1994).
• McCook, L. An Annotated Checklist of the Genus Phragmipedium - 28 p. - Special Publication of the Orchid Digest (1998).
• Gruss, O. 2003. A checklist of the genus Phragmipedium. Orchid Digest 67: 213–241.
• Braem, G. J., Ohlund, S., and Quene, R. J. 2004. The real Phragmipedium warszewiczianum: a clarification of the Phragmipedium caudatum complex (Phragmipedium section Phragmipedium). Orquideologia 23(2): 87-136
• Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol.1, Oxford U. Press. ISBN 0-19-850513-2

• Media related to Phragmipedium at Wikimedia Commons