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BEGINNERS’ BOTANY
LADY SLIPPER ORCHIDS
Paphiopedilum hennisianum
This is one of a dozen or so known lady slipper-
orchid species found on the archipelago. All of
them are thought to be endemic to the islands
and all are critically endangered due to habitat
destruction and overcollection. Lady slipper
orchids are among the world’s most coveted
blooms, partly because attempts at mass
propagation have proved unsuccessful. In the
plant’s natural habitat, its mottled leaves make
it inconspicuous amid the sun-dappled litter on
the forest floor, where it thrives until its flower
emerges. The flower’s preternatural beauty is
truly a sight to behold.
To lose this rich assemblage
of life forms and the secrets
they hold even before we get
to know themwould be
nothing short of tragic
