The first European botanists to see Phragmipedium caudatum were the Spaniards Hipólito Ruiz and José Pavón during their journey to Peru in the late 18th century. According to their notes and diaries, they observed populations of Phrag. caudatum around Tarma, at Cuchero and Muña; there is a specimen collected at Pillao in their herbarium. While the expedition was in Muña in 1786, Ruiz prepared a description of the plant using the name Cypripedium grandiflorum but this name was never published. The illustrator José Brunete painted the first botanical illustration of Phrag. caudatum while in Muña.
