Paphiopedilum appletonianum is a species of slipper orchid occurring from Hainan Island to Indochina.
Taxonomy The slipper orchid is named after W. M. Appleton, who was the first to cultivate the species in Europe.
Synonyms Cypripedium appletonianum Gower is the basionym. Other synonyms include:
Cypripedium wolterianum Kraenzl. Paphiopedilum wolterianum (Kraenzl.) Pfitzer Cordula appletoniana (Gower) Rolfe Paphiopedilum hookerae ssp. appletonianum (Gower) M.W.Wood Paphiopedilum hainanense Fowlie Paphiopedilum appletonianum var. immaculatum Braem Paphiopedilum robinsonii f. viride Braem Paphiopedilum appletonianum f. immaculatum (Braem) Braem Paphiopedilum appletonianum var. hainanense (Fowlie) Braem Paphiopedilum cerveranum Braem Paphiopedilum cerveranum f. viride (Braem) Braem Paphiopedilum appletonianum f. album Asher ex O.Gruss Paphiopedilum tridentatum S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu Paphiopedilum angustifolium R.F.Guo & Z.J.Liu Paphiopedilum puberulum S.P.Lei & J.Yong Zhang
Description P. appletonianum is a small to medium-sized slipper orchid that grows in humus or leaf litter, and sometimes in mossy trees or boulders. It has 6 to 8 narrowly elliptic to oblong elliptic leaves measuring long and wide, with its upper surface being green with obscure dark green mottling, and its lower surface is keeled with purple marks at the base. The purple, shortly pubescent inflorescence, measuring , consists of a single terminal, erect flower (or 2 in rare cases) with a width of , having an extremely variable staminode. Peak flowering occurs in March until May.
Two natural variants are available, the Hainan variant, P. appletonianum var. hainanense, and an albino form, Paphiopedilum appletonianum fma. album. The Hainan variant has some slightly different features from its Indochina counterpart, including a brightly coloured bloom, and its boldly mottled leaves, with some taxonomists define it as a separate species altogether.
Distribution P. appletonianum is distributed in Hainan and throughout eastern Indochina, where it grows in wet forests within steep granite slopes, and also damp river canyons near waterfalls, at elevations of with a mean temperature of .
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