Phragmipedium kovachii

Description

Phragmipedium kovachii is an orchid species found to be new to science in 2001, native to the Andean cloud forests of northern Peru. A species with terrestrial habit and growing in clumps of several individuals, it displays showy pink to purple flowers up to 20 cm (8 in) wide. It is currently considered a critically endangered species by the IUCN, due to overcollection in the wild. A terrestrial orchid, Phragmipedium kovachii grows in clumps. The short stems have up to nine leaves each, which are linear-lanceolate in shape, glossy green, and up to 64 cm (25 in) long and up to 5 cm (2 in) wide. They are thick and have an acute tip; the primary vein is prominent beneath. The flower stalk is 20–52 cm (8–20.5 in) tall with a solitary flower that is 10–20 cm (4–8 in) wide.The sepals are broadly elliptic in shape and covered with golden-brown hairs externally, and whitish to rose-pink internally. The petals are pink to dark purple, broadly elliptic to obovate in shape, up to 6 cm (2 in) long, with recurved margins; except for the cup-shaped lip or labellum, which can be up 7.5 cm (3.0 in) long and 4 cm (1.6 in) wide, and is purple to fuchsia in colour. The fruits are capsules up to 10.5 cm (4.1 in) long and up to 0.9 cm (0.4 in) in diameter.