The Genus Phalaenopsis Subgenus Parishianæ
The Genus Phalaenopsis Subgenus Parishianæ
David Lafarge Chargé de Mission at Société Nationale d ’ Horticulture de France
I n his monograph Phalaenopsis , Christenson ( 2001 ) included Kingidium and Doritis in the genus and raised Phalaenopsis sect . Parishianæ
H . R . Sweet to Phalaenopsis subgen . Parishianæ ( H . R . Sweet ) Christenson . The monophyly of Phalaenopsis as described by Christensen has been supported by nrDNA molecular data ( Tsai et al . 2006 ). However , according to ITS data subgenus , Parishianæ is not a monophyletic group . The molecular analysis reveals a four pollinia clade of P . lowii ( subgenus Proboscioides ) with subgenera Aphyllæ and Parishianæ plus sections Esmeralda and Deliciosæ of subgenus Phalaenopsis ( Tsai 2011 ).
Subgenus Parishianæ
Type species : P . parishii Rchb . f . The five species of this subgenus form a very compact group surrounding P . parishii . This group is characterized by its usually deciduous leaves , its four pollinia , a mobile lip , and the two prominent calli next to the column foot . Moreover , the lip side-lobes are erect , giving the lip transverse section a U-shape . The deciduous habit seems to be a simple and reversible adaptation due to climatic conditions : they can become non-deciduous in cultivation . The group grows from Himalaya to peninsular Indochina .
Phalaenopsis appendiculata C . E . Carr . [= Polychilos appendiculata ( C . E . Carr )
Shim ] is a miniature species endemic from peninsular Malaysia . This epiphyte has only recently been introduced in cultivation and has begun to produce very promising primary hybrids . Plants present two to four leaves reaching up to 7 x 3.5 cm . Inflorescences are more or less erect and are few-flowered , born sequentially , so spikes should not be cut 4
Phalaenopsis - Third Quarter , Vol . 22 ( 1 & 2 ) 2012
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3 until they have dried out . Flowers are pure white with variable amounts of pink to lavender markings . The lip is slightly stained with yellow at the apex and near the basis . The column foot is also white to yellowish ( Fig . 1 ). A very rare albino form exists ( Fig . 2 ). Mainly due to its recent introduction , cultural conditions are poorly documented and cultivation is still tricky .
Phalaenopsis parishii Rchb . f . [= Aerides decumbens Griff .; = Kingiella decumbens
( Griff .) Rolfe ; = Biermannia decumbens ( Griff .) Tang & F . T . Wang ex Merr . & Metcalf ; = Grafia parishii ( Rchb . f .) Hawkes ; = Phalaenopsis decumbens ( Griff .) Holttum ; = Kingidium decumbens ( Griff .) P . F . Hunt ; = Polychilos decumbens ( Griff .) Shim ; = Polychilos parishii ( Rchb . f .) Shim ] is a small epiphyte distributed from India to Thailand . The oboval to elliptic leaves reach 12 x 5 cm and emerge from a dense clump of roots . The inflorescences form racemes that are first erect and then arching with age , bearing up to six flowers . The flowers are white , with brown spots near the column foot and on the lip side-lobes . The side-lobes are brilliant yellow , contrasting with the wine-colored median lobe with white apex and basis ( Fig . 3 ). An albino form , not officially described , has recently been introduced ( Fig . 4 ).
This species is closely related to P . lobbii ( Rchb . f .) H . R . Sweet ( Fig . 5 & 6 ), but the callus of P . parishii is fimbriate while it is denticulate in P . lobbii . Different varieties or forms of P . lobbii have been described , among them are P . lobbii f . flava ( Gruss & Röllke ) Christenson which has a yellow lip basis , and P . lobbii f .
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