Cypripedium molle Lindl. 1841 SECTION Irapeana
Photos by © Lourens Grobler
Photo by © Weyman Bussey
Common Name The Soft Cypripedium
Flower Size 2.4" [6 cm]
Found in Oaxaca and Puebla states of Mexico in seasonally dry oak and pine-oak forests on reddish, clayey, lateritic soils on limestone at elevations of 1750 to 2400 meters as a medium to large sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with to 15, erect, terete stems per season that are enveloped by 7 to 9, basal, imbricate sheaths and carrying 8 to 18, spread in a spiral all along the stem, concave, narrowly lanceolate-ovate, usually acute to acuminate, ground hugging basally, clear green, conspiculously nerved, densely pilose beneath leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, erect, lax, racemose, to 2.4" [6 cm] long, sucessively 1 to 5 flowered inflorescence which rarely can carry 4 large flowers open at once.
Synonyms Cypripedium irapeanum subsp. molle (Lindl.) Eccarius 2009;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orquidea (Méx.) 13(1-3): 205-214. Cribb & Soto 1993 drawing/photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 40 pg 2492 - 2564 Brieger 2000 ; Algunas Orquideas de Oaxaca Suarez 2004 photo fide; Icones Orchidacearum fascile 10 plate 1017 Hagsater & Soto 2008 drawing ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 89 #1 2020
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