Paph. exul

[Piper]

Paph. exul is similar in appearance and considered related to Paph. insigne from the Himalayas and Paph. gratrixanum, native of Indo-China. P. exul is found on the west coast of peninsular Thailand, growing right along the beaches in full sun, typically on limestone cliffs.

The synsepal (ie, the lower flap) is unusually long for a paph, extending well below the lip.

This is the first, of several species plants I bought two years ago, to bloom for me. I thought they were blooming size when I bought them, but then last winter/spring most did nothing. This year a bunch are putting up spikes and I'm excited! P. exul is the first to show off!

Oh yeah, he's a wee little mite! That's my finger ...no, no, no! My index finger! in the second picture, just to give some sense of scale.

Julie

[bench72]

holey moley that's a big finger.....


i love this plant... I almost got one recently but got pipped at the post.... grrr....

[jenn]

The finger knows....

That is such a cutie, it looks like it wants a hug.

[Diane]

Ahh, Julie - has to have her finger(s) in Everything!!! Lovely little paph though!!

[Piper]

Ok, ok, guys!

I didn't realize how diminutive this lil' guy was when I bought him. The flower opened and I had to laugh! I love the coloration and form - hey, it's a species. You don't get to change them. You have to love them as whatever they are! (...we could learn a lot from species...)

I saw the finger thing on another forum and thought that was a heck of a lot easier that suspending a quarter in mid-air as a size reference. Please keep in mind, I don't have sausage fingers! This one's itty bitty.

Julie

[Hoa Tony Nguyen]

Oh my...
He looks just like one of those poisonous dart toads! Julie, are you sure that you don't get any of those deadly/paralyzing substances sticking on your fingers?
Just kidding! I think he is a cutie and a keeper!
Cheers. Hoa.

[Piper]

LOL! He does look like a poison dart toad, Hoa! Except the toad would be bigger. Maybe a baby poison dart toad.

Julie