Paphiopedilum lawrenceanum
Photo: (c) Steven Kurniawidjaja, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Steven Kurniawidjaja
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Paphiopedilum lawrenceanum faces severe pressure from illegal collection for the international orchid trade, with wild populations systematically harvested for their distinctive slipper-shaped flowers. Habitat destruction through deforestation and agricultural conversion in its native Borneo range has eliminated numerous known populations. The species' extremely slow growth rate and specialized pollination requirements make recovery from collection pressure particularly difficult.
Habitat
This terrestrial orchid inhabits the understory of lowland and hill dipterocarp forests in Borneo, typically growing on humus-rich soils in shaded conditions. It occurs at elevations from sea level to approximately 1,200 meters, requiring the humid microclimate and filtered light of intact forest ecosystems.
