Paphiopedilum sugiyamanum A modest little treasure, the plant shown above was described in 2001 by Dr William Cavestro in the French publication Rhone-Alpes Orchidees. The flower, while not as showy as many Paphiopedilums, is nontheless charming like its species cousins Paph virens, Paph dayanum and Paph hennisianum.

Light green leaves are mottled darker green, and the plant likely grows as a terrestrial epiphyte in the leafy/mossy detritus on steep slopes, somewhere in the eastern part of the island of Borneo. In cultivation, the plant will often send up basal plantlets, and grows well ex situ in a mix of moss, bark and coarse sponge rock, which allows plenty of moisture and air to the roots.

Currently the wild population numbers are unknown, and its exact provenance has not been revealed, but one would guess that seed propagation of this rare plant should be as uncomplicated and successful as its relatives have been. This is the first plant to flower for us of three we aquired that were imported as art prop greenhouse divisions with well vetted CITES paperwork.