Cypripedium formosanum

Quick Characteristics:

Cypripedium formosanum Hayata is found in central Taiwan in damp forests at 2300-3000 m. It is closely related to C. japonicum and may have evolved from an isolated population of those, but differs in having wider tepals with a pure white base color and a fatter lip. It is among the earliest species in the genus. Photos 1-2 show a plant cultivated by Martin Bohnet and not yet planted at it's final position, but the flowering in mid April was confirmed when completely planted out. The same plant one year after that (photo 3) has established itself and starts spreading with further distanced single shoots than many other Cypripediums, maybe as adaption to the wide leaf shape.