Paphiopedilum venustum

Sometimes referred to as the "Brain Pouch Paphiopedilum" for obvious reasons, the Slipper Orchid is from Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal.  It is also desirable for its beautiful foliage, a rather uncommon feature in orchids.  The flowers are not large but it is easy to grow and blooms faithfully on every new growth.  My plant is grown on a windowsill in moderate light and in a bark mix.

Paphiopedilum venustum and venustum album

I recently posted photos of Paphiopedilum venustum var. album and have posted before photos of the normal variety.  Here are the two of them together for comparison.  It is obvious that the album lacks any of the red or purple coloring of the normal variety.  The plants and flowers are very similar in size, but the leaves of the album variety also lack any red or purple coloring.  The species if from Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

Paphiopedilum venustum album

I don't have many Paphiopedilums, but they are all in bloom or coming into bloom including this first bloom seedling of Paphiopedilum venustum var. album.  I've included a picture of the normal variety for comparison, and it is obvious that this variety has not of the purple and red coloration of the other variety.  It is a small plant with beautifully mottled foliage, though the foliage has none of the purple coloration either, and it is from Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

Paphiopedilum venustum

Paphiopedilum venustum

My Paphiopedilum venustum is in bloom again.  It blooms faithfully very year in winter or early spring.  The flowers on my plant are nothing special, rather small for the species and rather poorly shaped, but the species is worth having even then and the detail of the flowers is incredible.  The plant is from the Himalayas, Nepal, Indian and Bangladesh.

Paphiopedilum venustum

My Paphiopedilum venustum is in bloom once again with two flowers.  I like the species, but the flowers on my plant are quite small and the petals reflex back behind the flowers which was especially disappointing when it first bloomed.  The flowers are still beautiful, however, and I decided do a series of macro photos to show some of the details of this remarkable species, a good example of the odd colors and forms in the genus Paphiopedilum.  The species, by the way is from the Himalayas.

 flower front

flower close-up front

 flower back

petal

dorsal sepal

staminode and top of pouch

pouch side and front

pouch top and interior

flower side

Paphiopedilum venustum

I don't grow a lot of Paphiopedilums, but only for lack of space.  I find their variety and strange forms very attractive, and Paph. venustum represents all that I love about them.  It is a smallish plant with beautifully mottled leaves, as is evident in some of the photos, and has one of the most beautiful pouches in the genus, a lovely green with darker green veining.

The plant grows well for me on a bathroom windowsill where it receives diffused light from a southern exposure and it blooms faithfully every year.  The fan of leaves is about 30 cm across and the single-flowered spikes are a little less than 30 cm tall.  On my plant the petals are strongly reflexed, making the flowers look like they are flying.