Slipper Orchids of Borneo

SLIPPER ORCHIDS OF BORNEO: Slipper orchids of the genus Paphiopedilum vie with pitcher plants and Rafflesia as Borneo’s most spectacular and instantly recognisable plants. The island can boast a dozen species including several of the most beautiful in the genus.Paphiopedilum rothschildianum and P. sanderianum were sensations when first discovered in late Victorian days, and they continue to amaze us with their spectacular flowers, the petals spreading to 30 cm across in the former and up to a metre long in the latter. We still know very little about these magnificent plants and their relatives in the wild. In this book our current knowledge of the taxonomy, distribution, ecology and biology of these extraordinary plants is considered. Nearly all of the Bornean species are naturally rare in the wild, and sadly some are now threatened with extinction unless their habitats can be better protected. Fortunately all can still be found in the wild at present and with our help will continue to flourish in their remote habitats.