Abstract:A new natural hybrid species, Paphiopedilum×ailaoshanense B. Liu & S. P. Chen, from Yunnan Province, China, is reported, it is related to its parents P. spicerianum and P. gratrixianum var. cangyuanense. It is different from the former by hairy pedicel and ovary, purple halo and purple spots in dorsal sepal, dark green upper petal with purple halo, and yellowish green lower petal; and from the latter by a broad purple-brown midvein in middle sepals and purple pistil. The new natural hybrid was similar to the natural hybrid P.×lushuiense, however, the lower edge of dorsal sepal of P.×ailaoshanense is not retrorbed, with purplish red halo near base, synsepal with 2 distinct purple thick veins, petal spatulate, upper edge wavy, 6.0-6.2 cm long, lip length 5.0-5.5 cm, obviously different. In order to clarify the relationship among P.×ailaoshanense, P. spicerianum and P. gratrixianum var. cangyuanense, the phylogenetic tree of some Paphiopedilum was constructed based on three chloroplast gene sequences (matK, rbcL and trnL). In consideration of the morphological and molecular evidence, Paphiopedilum×ailaoshanense is identified as a natural hybrid. The vouchers are kept in the herbarium of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU).
