''Paphiopedilum sanderianum'' is a rare species of

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to northwestern

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...

(

Gunung Mulu Mount Mulu ( ms, Gunung Mulu) is a sandstone and shale mountain. At 2376 m, it is the second highest mountain in the state of Sarawak, after Mount Murud. It is located within the boundaries of Gunung Mulu National Park, which is named after ...

). First discovered in 1885 by F. Sander's collector, J. Foerstermann, the orchid became renowned for the remarkable length of its petals, which can measure over 1 meter long. Although ''P. sanderianum'' has been used as a parent in a number of crosses, none of the resulting hybrids have so far matched the extraordinary lengths of this species' petals. However, soon after the turn of the 20th century, this rare orchid was lost to cultivation and thought to be extinct in the wild, until its rediscovery in 1978 by Ivan Nielson. The wild population of ''Paphiopedilum sanderianum'' grows protected in

Gunung Mulu National Park The Gunung Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its cav ...

Species description

*medium-sized, hot to warm growing, lithophytic species from Borneo. *Mature plants will bloom with 2-5 simultaneously opening reddish brown flowers that are 7–10 cm wide, with spiraling lateral

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s that can reach a meter in length. *each growth fan will contain 4-5 glossy light green leaves, that are up to 45 cm long and 4–6 cm wide *flower lifespan: 5–7 weeks *Flask to flowering approx: 6yrs.WSBEorchid.org, http://wsbeorchids.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/26/Paphiopedilum%20sanderianum.pdf *chromosome count: 2n=26

Habitat data

*Distribution - found in and around Gunung Mulu National Park *Elevation: 100–500 m *Peak Flowering in the Wild: April–June *Ecology: found at the top of steep dolomite

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

pinnacles *Mean Temperature Range: 22-25 °C *Light: moderately deep shade *Medium: calcareous, pH 7.3-7.5, mosses and leaf litter, roots attached to rock *Water: high amount of annual rainfall, spread throughout the year

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1312923 sanderianum Orchids of Borneo