# Paph richardianum?



## Ayreon (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi!
I have a paph richardianum in bud for the first time. But I haven't really figured out if it should be called Paph richardianum or Paph loowi var richardianum.

Can anyone enlighten me?


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## kentuckiense (Jan 26, 2010)

Take your pick. All that really matters is that the plant has a label that somehow contains richardianum.

However, Kew accepts Paph. lowii var. richardianum as the valid name.


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## Choodles (Jan 26, 2010)

For anyone interested, you can check your names here:http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do

The bold names are the currently accepted ones, those which are only italicized are not currently accepted.


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## PaphMadMan (Jan 26, 2010)

Let's not confuse acceptance for registration with taxonomic validity. Keep it labeled richardianum, with or without lowii preceding it. Clearly it is horticulturally distinct and not just another lowii. A classic lumper/splitter toss up that happens when we try to impose our artificial classification scheme on the real world.


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## tenman (Jan 27, 2010)

Yes, keep the richardianum tag, regardless. Never pay any attention at all to Kew. They haven't got a clue.


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## Rick (Jan 27, 2010)

PaphMadMan said:


> Let's not confuse acceptance for registration with taxonomic validity. Keep it labeled richardianum, with or without lowii preceding it. Clearly it is horticulturally distinct and not just another lowii. A classic lumper/splitter toss up that happens when we try to impose our artificial classification scheme on the real world.



Besides being fairly distinct from lowii visually by flower and plant habit (culturally), they also seem to be distinct geographically (Sulawesi) and ecologically(grasslands).

So I think it has more justification for species status than a lot of other pairs such as hirsutisimum and esquiriolei, callosum and barbatum, appletonianum and tortipetalum.


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## rdlsreno (Jan 27, 2010)

kentuckiense said:


> Take your pick. All that really matters is that the plant has a label that somehow contains richardianum.
> 
> However, Kew accepts Paph. lowii var. richardianum as the valid name.



I agree!

Ramon


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## Jimsox (Jan 27, 2010)

what does it look like???


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## Fabrice (Jan 27, 2010)

http://www.papuanum.com/orchids/orchids-photo-gallery/lowii-richardianum.htm


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## Jimsox (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks for that link....I LOVE it!!!


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## Ayreon (Feb 10, 2010)

Unfortunately it looks like I got a mislabeled plant. The fist flower is just about to open and it looks like a standard lowii to me :-(


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## NYEric (Feb 10, 2010)

I'll take it, oh never mind I'm trying to keep low key! :ninja:


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## SlipperFan (Feb 10, 2010)

Ayreon said:


> Unfortunately it looks like I got a mislabeled plant. The fist flower is just about to open and it looks like a standard lowii to me :-(


Please post a photo when it opens.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 10, 2010)

Yes, I want to see the flowers too!


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## Ayreon (Feb 11, 2010)

I'll post a photo when all flowers are open. I think it will be 4 of them... but it is a standard lowii. I'm not that depressed. My other lowi is not doing too well, so...

I also have a plant labeled "lynniae" from the same vendor. Will be really interesting to see if that turns out to be a standard lowii as well. In that case...I'm not a happy buyer


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