The Genus Phalaenopsis
Subgenus Phalaenopsis
David Lafarge
T
This subgenus contains the type
species of the genus, and is characterized by a simple callus (excepting for the three species of
section Deliciosae) and smooth lateral
lobes. Most of the species produce white
or pink flowers, eventually punctuated at
the base of floral pieces.
Section Phalaenopsis
Type species: Phalaenopsis amabilis. Species of this group are characterized by
their large petals and by the prominent
callus on the lip. The six species that are
placed into this section (of which four
will be described here) are at the origin of
most large, white or pink flowered commercial hybrids. The natural hybrid, Phal.
x intermedia Lindl. [P. aphrodite Rchb.f. x
P. equestris (Schauer) Rchb.f.], is also one of
the most influent parents for all the semialba hybrids. Three more natural hybrids
have a species from section Phalaenopsis
in their parentage: Phal. x P. amphitrite
Kraenzl. (= P. sanderiana x P. stuartiana),
Phal. x P. leucorrhoda Rchb.f. (= P. aphrodite x P. schilleriana) and Phal. x veitchiana Rchb.f. (= P. equestris x P. schilleriana).
Phalaenopsis amabilis (L.) Bl. [= Epidendrum amabile L.; = Cymbidium amabile
(L.) Roxb.; = Synadena amabilis (L.) Raf.; =
P. grandiflora Lindl.; = P. gloriosa Rchb.f.]
(Figures 1 & 2) is the type species for the
whole genus, and the larger flowered species. This species is widely widespread in
tropical Asia (Sumatra and Java, Philippines and Papua New Guinea towards
Queensland, Australia). Leaves can reach
up to 50 x 10 cm. Inflorescences are
branching with age and can produce flowers over years by elongation. Flowers are
membranous, pure white with a contrasting yellow and red lip. The round, large,
1
2
white flowers are the origin of standard
hybrids. Variety aurea (Hort.) Rolfe, with
a solid, pure yellow midlobe is probably
the most desirable variant of the species.
Plants from Taiwan sold as P. amabilis are
actually most often the sister taxon Phalaenopsis aphrodite Rchb.f. subsp. formosana Christenson (Fig. 3).
Phalaenopsis sanderiana Rchb.f. [= P.
amabilis var. aphrodite (Rchb.f.) Ames subvar. sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Ames; = P. aphrodite var. sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Quisumb.; =
P. amabilis var. sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Davis]
(Figures 4 & 5) is very close to P. amabilis,
with smaller leaves (27 x 9 cm). Inflorescences can reach 80 cm long, or even
more. Flowers are mostly comparable to
P. amabilis, but are smaller and hinted
with pink or purple. The coloration intensity can vary in a great amount, and
some clones (‘South Olive’) are almost
solid pink. P. sanderiana var. marmorata
Rchb.f. produces white flowers marbled
with pink. The albino form, P. sanderiana
f. alba (Veitch) Christenson, with pure white
flowers, is also described.
Phalaenopsis schilleriana Rchb.f. (Fig. 6),
from the Philippines, is an epiphyte, close
to P. stuartiana, and characterized by its
dark green leaves marbled with silver
grey. Inflorescences are many flowered
(up to 250 flowers have been counted on
a single inflorescence!) and are pendent,
with pink flowers and the lip marked
with red and yellow. P. schilleriana f. immaculata Christenson (= P. curnowiana
Hort.) does not show punctuation on the
lip or petals.
Phalaenopsis stuartiana Rchb.f. [= P.
schilleriana var. stuartiana (Rchb.f.) Burb.;
= P. schilleriana var. vestalis Rchb.f. ; = P.
stuartiana var. bella Rchb.f. ; = P. schilleriana var. alba Roebelen] (Figures 7 & 8) is
Phalaenopsis | Third Quarter | Volume 23 | 2013
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