Paphiopedilum insigne

''Paphiopedilum insigne'' is an Asian species of slipper orchid and the type species of the genus ''Paphiopedilum''. Its name is derived from the Latin ''insigne'', meaning 'badge of honor' due to the magnificent flower. In the 19th century it was very popular among European and American orchid growers, causing it to become very rare in the wild due to over collecting. There are many varieties of it and hybrids with it.

Description

Terrestrial herb. Leaves 5–6, up to 32 cm long, 2.5-3 cm wide, leathery, ligulate, blade light green, underside purple spotted at base. Scape, erect, up to 25 cm long, terminating in a solitary flower, green, shortly purple-pubescent; elliptic or oblong-elliptic bract, obtuse, up to 5 cm long, glabrous, purple spotted at base. Flowers 7–12 cm wide; variable in colour; dorsal sepal with white apical portion with raised purple spots on inner margin, base pale green with brown spots; petals linear-oblong, margin wavy, glabrous, yellow-brown. Lip helmet shaped, yellow or yellowish-green with purple-brown shade, staminode yellow.
Fl. & Fr. : October-December.

Distribution

This species is native to the Khasi hills in the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya, and the adjoining Sylhet region of Bangladesh. It is also reported from northwest Yunnan in China. It was originally described based a specimen from Sylhet, but because there have been no further reports of this species from this region, it could be extinct there due to over collection and habitat destruction. Reports from Thailand and Myanmar are uncertain or erroneous and if ever present there this species is likely extinct there.

Habitat

It grows in humus and debris in crevices and among grasses and shrubs on steep open dolomitic limestone rock slopes and cliffs above streams, rivers and waterfalls at an altitude of 1000-1600 meters. Unique pictures of the plant in its natural habitat can be viewe
here

Varieties

Many varieties are given in 19th and early 20th century literature, but not all were formally described and most are synonyms. The type variety is ''mooreana'', which is shown in the photo together with variety ''sanderae'', the semi-alba color form. The painting shows the diverse forms of the variety ''montanum'', which isn't really a variety but rather a product name that 19th century European importers used to describe a series of varieties and forms with narrower leaves and richly marked flowers that were harvested from a different mountain region than the ones imported before. Nathaniel Wallich sent the first living ''insigne'' plants to the UK from the Sylhet region. Later William Griffith discovered it in the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya.
The variety ''sanderae'' came out of an importation of ''montanum'' by Frederick Sander. It was sold in 1890 at £250, the equivalent of about £35,000 in 2021.

Conservation Status

Due to ruthless collection for international trade in the 19th and 20th century, current poaching for regional trade, and destruction of its habitat, the species has become very rare.�
Paphiopedilum insigne, Splendid Paphiopedilum
��, Assessment by: Rankou, H. & Kumar, P. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ISSN 2307-8235. Accessed on 23.12.2021.

References

“Paphiopedilum insigne”
Plants of the World Online, Kew. Accessed on 23.12.2021.

Slipperorchids.info. Accessed on 23.12.2021.
“Paphiopedilum insigne”
ENVIS Resource Partner on Biodiversity, Botanical Survey of India. Accessed on 23.12.2021.
“Paphiopedilum insigne”
''Flora of China''. Accessed on 23.12.2021.

External links

insigne
Endemic orchids of India
Orchids of Assam
Flora of Meghalaya
Symbols of Meghalaya

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