Phalaenopsis maculata (Rchb.f. 1881)
 
The Spotted Phalaenopsis
(from latin maculatus, spotted)
Distribution: Malaisia (Pahang, river Tahai), Bornéo, Sarawak
Synonyms

Phalaenopsis cruciata (Schltr. 1910)
 
     Epiphytic or lithophytic plant.
     Short stem completion completely enclosed by imbricating leaf-sheaths.
     Many roots, fleshy, flexuous, glabrous.

     Leaves very few, very fleshy, oblong-ligulate or oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, acute, at canaliculate apex, long of more than 21 cm, broad 4 cm.
     Flower stalk erect or arcuate, seldom longer than the foliage, seldom branchy, bearing few flowers in the same time.
     Flower from 3 to 3,5 cm. apparently with delicate texture but fleshy. Oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic sepal dorsal , acute or obtuse, with mucronate apex. Lateral sepals slightly oblique, ovate-oblong or elliptic, acute or obtuse, dorsally carinate, mucronate. Oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate petals, acute or obtuse.    Lip 3-lobed, fleshy, shorter than petals and sepals. Lateral lobes almost rectangular. The apical half provided of a large horseshoe-shaped callus. Disc between lateral lobes provided of a bifide callus divergent with a median furrow. This callus is followed of another callus, shorter, taking its source at the base of the midlobe. This one elliptic or oblong-elliptic, very convex, with longitudinal furrows, without really marked peak, nor bump at apex.
      Column of 7 mm, cylindrical, slightly arcuate, no really dilated toward his base.
      Pedicellate ovary of 2 cm.
 
Lip of Phal.maculata(Sweet)
 
Observations
 

      White or cream segments, often with a green suffusion, stripped brown/red or mauve. Red lip, callus yellow. Lateral lobes with small red spots in the lower half, with a magenta suffusion in the higher half.
       Flowering in spring, very long duration.
      Often confused with Phalaenopsis mariae, but the flowers are smaller, Phalaenopsis mariae has 2 bifides callus between lateral lobes and a callus at apex of midlobe. It was described by Reichenbach like a small invaluable stone.
       It is growing to an altitude varying between 250 and 900 meters in wetlands on rock hills in the shade of large trees or near rivers. He was growing at base of mossy trunks and with a moisture raised permanently.
       Considered difficult in culture. This plant rather requires a moderate greenhouse and a little more light than the other species. The regular addition of carbonate of calcium or dolomite favours this species being able to be litophyte on grounds limestones.

 
History
 
    Introduced in Europe in 1881 by Veitch, with specimen collected by Curtis in Borneo.
    Some additional words from Rolf in the Orchid Review N°152 august 1905.
 
 
Average temperature humidity and pluviometry, evolution relating to Sarawak with a rise in 530 meters (area of Kuching)
 
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