Phalaenopsis micholitzii (Rolfe 1890)
 
Micholitz's Phalaenopsis
Distribution : The Philippines (Mindanao)
Synonym

Polychilos micholitzii (Shim 1982)
 
          Epiphytic plant.
     Roots numerous, flexuous, glabrous.
      Stem very short, completely enclosed by imbricating leaf-sheaths.
     Leaves fleshy, arcuate, pendulous in natural position, at cuneate base, obovate, acute or obtuse, up to 16 cm long, up to 6 cm wide.
      Flower stalk one to several, very short (not exceeding 5 cm), erect or arcuate with rachis slightly in zigzag.
      Bracts distichous, cucullate, acute, of 5 mm long.
      Flowers very few of 6 cm, opening out rather successively. Well spread out sepals and petals. Sepal dorsal elliptic or ovate-elliptic, acute, at canaliculate apex. Lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acute or sub-acuminate, at canaliculate apex, a little broader than the dorsal sepal. Petals from a cuneate base then brutally ovate-elliptic, obtuse or sub-acute.
 

   Lip 3-lobed, a little shorter than the petals. Lateral lobes at triangular base, falcate (sickle-shaped), provided of prominent callosities in middle. Midlobe from a cuneate base then sub-rhomboid or ovate-rhomboid, obtuse and sometimes a little reinflated at apex, margins coarsely notched. The bulge of the apex changes towards the back in a longitudinal keel. The center of the midlobe is covered of long very disseminated coarse hairs. Disc between lateral lobes provided with two callus superimposed, cylindrical, fleshy, forked. The bidentate higher callus on its before is completely integrated in the lower callus.
     Column fleshy, cylindrical, somewhat dilated at the base, 12 mm long.
     Pedicellate ovary 3 cm long.


Lip of Phalaenopsis micholitzii (Sweet)

 

Observations
 

     White, cream-coloured or greenish segments with an orange callus on the lateral lobes.
     Autumnal flowering.
     Little collected, this species remained rare in culture. He grow between the sea level and an altitude of 450 meters.

 
 
History
 
   This species was introduced in culture dice 1889 by Sander. It bears the name of the collector which discovered it, Wilhelm Micholitz (1854-1932). Following unusual circumstances, it was described only more tardily. Indeed the flowers sent to Reinchenbach for description were included after the death of this one the same year in its herbarium that a clause of its will made secret during 25 years.
       Some additional words from Rolf in the Orchid Review N°152 august 1905.
       

      WILLHELM MICHOLITZ was an orchid hunter who worked for Sander's nurseries.
     An avid collector of Phalaenopsis species, he sent back many hundreds of thousands of orchids by ship to England.
     One of his most famous missions was setting out to find the sought after Dendrobium schroderianum. He realised that it grew best in graveyards and actually sold one still attached to a human skull!
 
Average temperature humidity and pluviometry, evolution relating to the Philippines on the sea level (area of Manila)
 
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