First bloom for this plant from Popow, wasn’t sure what I would be getting as there was some confusion over the plant they were sending me but I’m happy with the result. Have added niveum on the right for comparison.
I tend to agree with Steven (for once! )! I would think, that (x/var.) ang-thong is much more clearly in the direction of something godefroyae-like?
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I'm no expert but I agree completely. I think P. x ang-thong is more a trade mark for vendors and there is much confusion.
Guido Bream once wrote and I quote. "FOWLIE considered the plants to be a natural hybrid between P. niveum and P. godefroyae......However, those plants from the Ang-thong Islands are by no means different from plants belonging to P. godefroyae. The only difference is that they originate from another habitat.They are, therefore, without the slightest doubt, to be considered as a geographic variant of P. godefroyae." [Paphiopedilum Dr. Guido Brehm 1988]
H. Koopowitz wrote and I quote again: "Cribb (1998) has sunk all of these plants into P. godefroyae.Yet these plants comprise a distictive taxon and probably should receive varietal status under P. godefroyae or else be recognised as a separate species. Unfortunately, many of these plants that fall under these concept were distributed as forms of P. niveum var. ang-thong and were usesd to breed 'improved' forms of P. niveum when they were crossed to the members of that species." ....."Plants labeled as P. niveum var. ang-thong f. album (or P. greyii f. album) have been confused with the true P. niveum f. album." [Tropical Slipper Orchids Harold Koopowitz 2008]