Phragmipedium is a genus of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae) (Subfamily Cypripedioideae) and the only genus comprised in the tribe Phragmipedieae and subtribe Phragmipediinae. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek phragma, which means "division", and pedium, which means "slipper" (referring to the pouch). It is abbreviated 'Phrag' in trade journals.
About 20 species of these lady's slipper orchids are known from SW Mexico, Central and tropical South America.
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! rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| Himantopetalum
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|Phragmipedium caricinum
| Bolivia.
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|Phragmipedium pearcei
| Ecuador to N. Peru.
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|Phragmipedium klotzschianum
| SE. Venezuela to Guyana and N. Brazil.
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! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Lorifolia
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|Phragmipedium boissierianum
|S. Ecuador to Peru.
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|Phragmipedium cabrejosii
|Peru
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|Phragmipedium hirtzii
|N. Ecuador.
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|Phragmipedium longifolium
|Costa Rica to Ecuador.
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|Phragmipedium vittatum
|WC. & SE. Brazil.
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! rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| Micropetalum
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|Phragmipedium besseae
| Ecuador to N. Peru.
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|Phragmipedium ramiroi
|Colombia
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|Phragmipedium schlimii
| Colombia
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!style="text-align:center;"| Platypetalum
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|Phragmipedium lindleyanum
| N. South America to Pernambuco, Brazil.
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! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Phragmipedium
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|Phragmipedium caudatum
| Bolivia to Peru.
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|Phragmipedium guianense
|French Guyana
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|Phragmipedium humboldtii
| Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama
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|Phragmipedium lindenii
| Venezuela to Ecuador.
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|Phragmipedium warszewiczianum
| S Mexico to Panama.
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!style="text-align:center;"| Schluckebieria
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|Phragmipedium kovachii
| San Martin, Peru
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Natural hybrids
The following natural hybrids are recognized:
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| ||Phragmipedium × pfitzerianum ||P. longifolium × P. warszewiczianum. ||Ecuador
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|120px||Phragmipedium × richteri ||P. boissierianum × P. pearcei ||Ecuador to N. Peru
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| ||Phragmipedium × talamancanum ||P. humboldtii × P. longifolium ||Costa Rica to Panama
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References
- Albert, V.Z. & B.Pettersson, Expansion of Genus Paphiopedilum Pfitzer to Include All Conduplicate-leaved Slipper Orchids (Cypripedioideae: Orchidaceae). Lindleyana 9(2) 133-139 (1994).
- McCook, L. An Annotated Checklist of the Genus Phragmipedium - 28 p. - Special Publication of the Orchid Digest (1998).
- Gruss, O. 2003. A checklist of the genus Phragmipedium. Orchid Digest 67: 213–241.
- Braem, G. J., Ohlund, S., and Quene, R. J. 2004. The real Phragmipedium warszewiczianum: a clarification of the Phragmipedium caudatum complex (Phragmipedium section Phragmipedium). Orquideologia 23(2): 87-136
- Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol.1, Oxford U. Press.