Phalaenopsis Journal Second Quarter, Vol. 21(4) 2012 | Page 13

The Genus Phalaenopsis
Subgenera Proboscioides and Aphyllæ
David Lafarge
Chargé de Mission at Société Nationale d’Horticulture de France
I
n his 2001 monograph, Christenson raised Phalaenopsis
sect. Proboscidioides Rolfe to Phalaenopsis subgen. Probos-
cidioides (Rolfe) Christenson and Phalaenopsis sect. Aphyllæ
H.R. Sweet to Phalaenopsis subgen. Aphyllæ (H.R. Sweet) Christenson .
Subgenus Proboscioides
This subgenus is monotypic, containing a single species, P.
lowii Rchb.f. [= P. proboscioides Parish ex Rchb.f.; = Polychi-
los lowii (Rchb.f.) Shim.] (Figure 1) .
This miniature epiphyte or lithophyte species originates
from Myanmar (Burma) and had to be considered endemic
there. It is among the many species established on the basis
of the collections by Parish during 1852–1884 in the region
of Moulmein. It had not been found by later collectors until
Gunnar Seidenfaden reported in 1996 that after more than
100 years, Phalaenopsis lowii has recently been recorded
from the border between Burma and Thailand. Roots are
very long, flattened, numerous and directly exposed to the
air. Plants have up to five deciduous leaves, reaching about
9 x 3 cm. Inflorescences are long compared to the plant size
and they bear very showy flowers. The flowers are white suf-
fused with pinkish purple at the basis of sepals and petals.
The lip is richly colored with purple with a yellow blotch
near the basis. The most striking character of these flowers
is the very unique rostellum, which hangs down nearly to
the lip surface. An albino and a blue form exist but are not
described taxonomically to date (Figures 2 & 3) . This taxon
is problematic in several ways. Taxonomists are sometimes
tempted to create a separate monotypic genus for this spe-
cies. Indeed, even if it is clearly not a typical species of the
genus with its extremely elongated rostellum, resembling an
elephant trunk (which is the origin of the subgenus name).
Nonetheless, according to our broad conception of the ge-
nus, it would seem extraneous to create such a monophyletic
genus.
1
2
Subgenus Aphyllæ
Type species: P. stobartiana Rchb.f. This subgenus contains
small deciduous plants with strongly flattened roots and
short, few-flowered inflorescences. The subgenus is restrict-
ed to the Himalayan region from Nepal to Thailand, with an
important center in southern China. Part of the species in
the former genus Kingidium are now placed in this subgenus.
Most species have been introduced recently in cultivation
Phalaenopsis - Second Quarter, Vol. 21(4) 2012
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