Cypripedium wardii Rolfe 1913 SECTION Subtropica

Photo courtesy of Jan Hrolv Larsen

LATE EARLY

Common Name Ward's Cypripedium [English Plant Collector in China and SE Asia late 1800's] - In China Kuan Kou Shao Lan

Flower Size 1/2" [1.25 cm]

Found in southeastern Tibet and northwestern Yunnan province of China on limestone cliffs in shade of dense temperate rain forest at elevations of 2500 to 3500 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial with three to 4, dark green, elliptic, acute leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on an erect, terminal, pubescent, 5 to 6" [12.5 to 15 cm] long, 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence with foliaceous, ovate-lanceolate, pubescent, ciliate, longer than the ovary floral bracts.

Synonyms Cypripedium guttatum var. wardii (Rolfe) P.Taylor 1976

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 40 pg 2492 - 2564 Brieger 2000 ; AOS Bulletin Vol 75 No 10 2006 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 4 2007 photo fide; Australian Orchid Review Vol 72 No 6 12/07-1/08; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Mountains, China Xiaohua, Xiaodong and Xiaochun 2009 photo fide; Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009; Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing ok; The Wild Orchids in Yunnan Xu Xiang Ye & Liu 2010 photo fide; Atlas of Native Orchids of China Vol 1 Jin Xiaohua, Li Jianwu and Ye Deping 2019 photo fide

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