''Paphiopedilum micranthum'', described in 1951, is commonly known as the silver slipper orchid or hard-leaved pocket orchid. It blooms during late winter to early summer with one flower per inflorescence. As opposed to its close sibling ''Paph. malipoense'', the flowers of ''Paph. micranthum'' have no fragrance.

Distribution

''Paphiopedilum micranthum'' is found from northern

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

to western and northern

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...

, southeastern

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...

and western

Guizhou Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to t ...

(

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

), at elevations of 360 to 1600 meters. The plant is found on cliffs and in crevices which contain leaf litter, limestone, and clay. The area is subjected to fog in the winter and heavy rain from late spring to summer.

Culture

Keep plant in moderately shaded area with intermediate temperatures around 30 °F to 88 °F and humidity of 60 to 80%. The plant is not easy to bloom and requires a well-drained mix such as a mixture of gravel, perlite and bark. Keep plant cool during the winter.

Varieties

* ''Paphiopedilum micranthum'' var. ''alboflavum'' * ''Paphiopedilum micranthum'' var. ''eburneum'': yellow sepals, yellow petals with red veins, white lip * ''Paphiopedilum micranthum'' var. ''glanzeanum'': white petals and sepals with shades of yellow, white lip. * ''Paphiopedilum micranthum'' var. ''guanxii'': pink sepals, pink petals with red veins, white lip

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1942763 micranthum Orchids of China Orchids of Vietnam Flora of Guangxi Orchids of Yunnan Orchids of Guizhou