Paphiopedilum micranthum

Even though this species was described in China as far back as 1951 ,it was not allowed to cross the country's hermitically closed boarder until 1984 . From that time on, its beauty made it a subject of very brisk trade, which soon caused it to become a very rare and endangered Venus 's shoe . Besides P. micranthum ,a photo also presents a specimen of P. x fanaticum - a botanical hybrid of the species in question and p. malipoense . The hybrid appears in the common habitats of both species in the border area between Vietnam and China . The species leaves are marbled ;its single flowers grow on 4-10 in/10 -25 -cm-tall spikes . Compared to the proportions of the plant ,the flowers are quite large and dominated by an abnormally big pale -pink lip. The other tepals are yellowish with dark red stripes . The species still survives in south west China