# What exactly defines a Parvi or Brachy?



## Cklinger (Feb 28, 2019)

I enjoy keeping paphs and would love my collection to grow, however I want to become more knowledgeable about them. I have been seeing Parvi and Brachy being used to describe paphs. Is it due to hybridization that makes one or the other? 

Thanks,
Christian


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## mrhappyrotter (Feb 28, 2019)

It's the taxonomic rank of subgenus. Subgenera are natural divisions within a genus like Paphiopedilum, which group clusters of similar species together. So, species in Brachypetalum are all more closely related to each other than they are to species in subgenus Parvisepalum.

Other subgenera are Barbata, Pardalopetalum, and Cochlopetalum. These are just a few of them.


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## Cklinger (Feb 28, 2019)

mrhappyrotter said:


> It's the taxonomic rank of subgenus. Subgenera are natural divisions within a genus like Paphiopedilum, which group clusters of similar species together. So, species in Brachypetalum are all more closely related to each other than they are to species in subgenus Parvisepalum.
> 
> Other subgenera are Barbata, Pardalopetalum, and Cochlopetalum. These are just a few of them.



I see, that makes sense. Thank you for such a clear response!


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## Ozpaph (Mar 2, 2019)

see if you can find/borrow a good paph book like Lance Birks or Braems or Koopowitz, that would help you a lot.


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## Justin (Mar 2, 2019)

Also might be helpful to know that Parvisepalum is Latin for "small sepal," and Brachypetalum is "short petal."


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## Cklinger (Mar 2, 2019)

Ozpaph said:


> see if you can find/borrow a good paph book like Lance Birks or Braems or Koopowitz, that would help you a lot.



I'll see about going to the University library and seeing if they have any of their books


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## chris20 (Mar 3, 2019)

I recently read in Orchid Digest that the new name for Brachypetalum is
Concoloria.


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## musa (Mar 4, 2019)

Is that already official or a mere suggestion (by whom)? Do you know about the reasons?
Thanks Michael


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## NYEric (Mar 4, 2019)

http://slipperorchids.info/

A site devoted to the posting of pictures and info on the slipper orchids.


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## chris20 (Mar 4, 2019)

All the Brachy species were listed as belonging to section Concoloria in “An Annotated Checklist of Paphiopedilum Species” by Harold Koopowitz in the Oct-Dec 2018 issue of Orchid Digest


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## musa (Mar 5, 2019)

Thanks Chris
Eric thanks, that site is a kind of bible to me when I'm deciding how to treat a species.
Michael


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## NYEric (Mar 5, 2019)

You're welcome. Stephen is a member here.


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