Paphiopedilum armeniacum is an endangered orchid species endemic to China. From April 2000 to October 2005, we selected 66 observation sites in Luoshapo of Nushan Mountains in Yunnan to carry out the conservation ecological research on P. armeniacum. We sampled 443 genets (total 1302 ramets) of P. armeniacum, observed their biological characteristics such as reproductive pattern, phenology and life cycle, and studied the ecological habits of the species such as the habitat and the structure of communities. And we conducted experiments of ex-situ conservation and replanting the cloned ramets to the original habitat after ex-situ reproduction in Shenzhen, Guangdong. We investigated the relationships between P. armeniacum and climate, vegetation and other environmental factors in the original habitat, and the biological characteristics of P. armeniacum asexual offsprings which were replanted to original habitat after ex-situ cultivation and reproduction. The studies show that P. armeniacum in Luoshapo grows very well in secondary shrub boskets or in tussocks on limestone hills; it has both sexual and asexual reproduction, asexual reproduction serves to fulfill the sexual reproduction and to extend the lifetime of genets, and does not reduce sexual reproduction; there are two modes of asexual reproductionby tillering or by rhizoming; the litter of shrub boskets or tussocks provides P. armeniacum with humus, and the rhizome reproduction of P. armeniacum is an adaptation to the litter-covered condition, i.e. to escape from the unfavorable environment; blooming rate of ramets is 7.39%±1.02%, fruit set rate from the blooming ramets is 32.23%±12.08%; P. armeniacum is able to invade the moderately destroyed forests and those in early restoring, but unable to grow in large dense forests. P. armeniacum also grows very well in artificial spare woods in Shenzhen and can reproduce many cloned ramets which can normally bloom and fruit after being replanted to the original habitat. Our results show that P. armeniacum can be conserved by ex-situ conservation and replanting the ex-situ reproduced ramets to original habitat. Based on the analysis of endangered mechanisms of P. armeniacum, we conclude that P. armeniacum has strong capability of both asexual and sexual reproductions, and an emergency mechanism consisted of massive production of rhizomes to cope with damage; since highly effective pollinating insects are present in the habitat, flowering ramets produce fruits with large quantity of seeds, many of which in turn grow into new genets that can reproduce many cloned ramets; and P. armeniacum makes highly effective use of its environment, and has distinct characteristics of enduring harsh environmental conditions, therefore, the main threats which this species faces with are destruction of its survival space and the wipe-out collecting of the plants for trading, rather than its own inherent biological defects. Based on these, we propose some appropriate strategies for the conservati
on of P. armeniacum.