4
5
6
4): Phalaenopsis amabilis,
Bot. Mag., 73: 4297(1847).
5): Phalaenopsis amabilis,
Bot. Reg., 24: 34 (1838).
6): Phalaenopsis grandiflora,
Bot. Mag., 86: 5184 (1860).
20
Phalaenopsis pleihary Burgeff, Cat. Bot. Garden,
Wuerzburg (1968).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. aphrodite subvar. gloriosa
Ames, Orchidaceae (Ames), 2: 226 (1908).
Phalaenopsis celebica Vloten, Orchidee (Bandoeng,)
1: 125 (1932).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. fuscata Rchb.f., Bot. Zei-
tung (Berlin), 20: 214 (1862).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. rosenstromii (F.M.Bailey)
Nicholls, Australian Orchid Review, 14: 104 (1949).
Phalaenopsis amabilis f. fuscata (Rchb.f.) O. Gruss &
M.Wolff, Orchid., Atlas: 319 (2007).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. moluccana Schltr., Repert.
Spec. Nov. Regni Veg., 10: 193 (1911).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. papuana Schltr., Orch.
Deut.-Neu-Guinea, 968 (1913).
Phalaenopsis amabilis var. cinerascens J.J.Sm., Bull.
Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, II, 25: 88 (1917).
Phalaenopsis × Elisabethae (= amabilis × rimestadi-
ana) Vacherot (1927).
Synadena amabilis Raf., Fl. Tellur., 4: 9 (1838).
D ESCRIPTION:
Phalaenopsis amabilis is found growing in hot
to warm rainforests at elevations up to 600 me-
ters on trunks and branches overhanging rivers,
swamps and streams of Southeast Asia: Austra-
lia (Queensland), Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
and the Philippines. The robust medium-sized
pendent growing epiphyte has its stem com-
pletely subtended by overlapping leaf bases,
seldom with more than five clear green leathery
leaves that are obovate-oblong, elliptic, oval-
elliptic, or oblong-oblanceolate with a tip that is
obtuse or obliquely emarginated and length 20
in. (50 cm), width 4 in. (10 cm). The slender rac-
emose or paniculate inflorescence, up to 3 ft. (90
cm) long, has small dry, triangular bracts. The
fragrant, showy, long-lasting white flowers are
variable size, occurring in spring through sum-
mer. The sepals are spread out. The dorsal sepal
is elliptic-oblong, elliptic-ovate, or elliptic, some-
times short-clawed. The lateral sepals are oblong-
lanceolate, oval, or sometimes oblique with the
tip acute, seldom sub-acuminate or oval-lanceo-
late. The broad, very blunt petals are sub-rhom-
boidal and narrowed at the base. The deeply
trilobed lip is much shorter than the petals and
fleshier than other floral segments. The side lobes
are erect, obovate-oblanceolate, rounded above,
laterally emarginate below apex. The midlobe has
a wedge-shaped, cruciform base with two long fi-
liform appendages (sinuous filaments). The basal
callus is dotted red or yellow, fleshy, conduplicate,
almost square with smooth edges, separated in
two lobes by a deep throat. The short subclavi-
form column is white. The pedicellate ovary can
be up to 5 cm long. Phalaenopsis amabilis is usu-
ally pollinated by large carpenter bees from the
genus Xylocopa.
Fourth Quarter, Vol. 21(2) 2011 - Phalaenopsis