Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid

The generic name means "Phalaen[a]-like" and is probably a reference to the genus Phalaena, the name given by Carolus Linnaeus to a group of large moths; the flowers of some species supposedly resemble moth in flight. For this reason, the species are sometimes called Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid.

They are native throughout Southeast Asia from the Himalayan mountains to the islands of Polillo and Palawan of the Philliphines and northern Australia. Orchid Island off Taiwan is named after this Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid. Little is known about Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid habitat and their ecology in nature since little field research has been done in the last decades.

Most are epyphytic shade plants; a few are lithophytes. In the wild the Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid are typically found below the canopies of moist and humid lowland forests, protected against direct sunlight, but equally in seasonally dry or cool environments. This Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid species have adapted individually to these three habitats.

Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid shows a monopodial growth habit. An erect growing rhizome produces from the top one or two alternate, thick and fleshy, elliptical leaves a year. The older, basal leaves drop off at the same rate. The plant retains in this way four to five leaves. If very healthy, they can have up to ten or more leaves. They have no pseodobulbs. The racame appears from the stem between the leaves. Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid bloom in their full glory for several weeks. If kept in the home, the Phalaenopsis Moth Orchid usually last two to three months.

Some Phalaenopsis Moth orchid species in Malaysia are known to use subtle weather cues to coordinate mass flowering.

source from Wikipedia