 |
The Violet
Phalaenopsis
(from latin violaceus) |
 |
|
|
Distribution
: Sumatra ( Mentawai, Simeuluë), Malaysia ( Perak, Selangor,
Malacca)
|
|||
|
Stem short, compact, completely enclosed by imbricating leaf-sheaths.
Leaves fleshy, leathery, elliptic or obovate or oblong-elliptic, acute or obtuse, at conduplicate base, long of more than 25 cm, broad of at least 12 cm.
Flower stalk robust, sub-erect or arcuate, with the rachis in zigzag, few flowered.
Bracts ovate, cucullate, acute, of 7 mm.
Flower fleshy, waxy, being able to reach 6 cm, often smaller. Sepal dorsal oblong-elliptic or elliptic or ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, somewhat concave, prominently carinate dorsally. Lateral sepals obliquely adnate to base of column, ovate-lanceolate, sub-sickle-shaped above, with conduplicate apex and well marked dorsal keel. Petals elliptic or ovate-elliptic, at asymmetrical base, rather acute.
 |
Lip 3-lobed. Lateral
lobes erect, linear-oblong, at truncated apex and with a callus
in shape of half moon in their middle. Midlobe ovate, apiculate,
fleshy, convex, with a median membranous keel ending in an ovoid
callus right before the apex, completely glabrous, sometime provided
of few warts on the apical callus. Disc between lateral lobes, pulvinately
incrassate, papillous in front, merging into 1 to 3 superimposed,
often divided, fleshy lamellae. At the junction of the three lobes
one finds an appendix bifide, fleshy, deeply grooved in his middle. |
 |
|
|
Lip of Phal.violacea(Sweet)
|
Flowering is possible
all over the year, but is more abundant from spring to autumn.
The flowers emit a strong perfume comparable with that
of certain water lilies, Freesia or bergamot.
The color is very variable. One finds incarnat, mauve,
magenta, magenta pink, carmine pink on the floral segments. The end of
sepals and petals is normally green. The midlobe and the column are pink/carmin
or magenta.
The flowers with the most uniform color are of Malaysia.
Those of Borneo are contrasted. Sepals and petals are white or ivory with
a suffusion of green. The 1/3 superior is of a green apple and a magenta
spot of variable size decorates the lower part of the lateral sepals.
The true name is now Phalaenopsis
bellina.
Leaves can reach more than 50 cm.long (Phalaenopsis
bellina) and made it confuse by collectors with Phalaenopsis gigantea.
Phalaenopsis violacea grow sometimes with Phalaenopsis sumatrana.
Very used for hybridization, this species is more volontier
used like seed-bearer than as supplier of pollen.
Phalaenopsis violacea is a plant of hot and wet climate.
It is originating in low grounds with a relative humidity around 80% with
a light intensity permanently limited to 10.000 luxes. One very often
finds it on mangrove.
Practically disappeared from the cultures in 1960, he
knows since a renewed interest.
White sepals and petals with more or less green tips.
Sepals and petals clear yellow with a broad magenta spot inside the lateral sepals and some fine bands accompanied by some points of the same color at the base of the petals and dorsal sepal.
Sepals and petals lemon-yellow, with magenta spots on half interns lateral sepals. Midlobe and column magenta. lateral lobes orange/yellow at tips.
Sepals and petals white with the 1/3 superior greenish yellow. Instead of the broad usual spots on the lateral sepals one finds many spots. The apical part of the midlobe, the base of the column and anther are red purplished. The lateral lobes and the edge of the midlobe are pale yellow.
 |
Phalaenopsis violacea var.coerulea.(Hort.) "blue" |
 |
 |
