Paph. appletonianum vs Paph. wolterianum

It is often difficult to distinguish between these two species. Some taxonomists consider Paph. wolterianum to be a synonym of Paph. appletonianum, although there are clear differences in flower posture, flower stalk length, staminode, leaf, and habitat.

While Paph. wolterianum is found only in southern Thailand, Paph. appletonianum is widespread in northern Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and southern China.

Here is a comparison of the two species:

Here are some detailed shots:

More pictures of these similar "species" can be found here:

Or under the respective name on this website under the "Species" tab.

It is important, however, to always propagate these different plants only by species. Otherwise, identification will become virtually impossible in the future.