!Ascocentrum miniatum [Lindley] Schlechter 1913
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
to
and
EARLY 
Common Name The Rust Red Ascocentrum
Text by Andy Phillips
Found in Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and the Philippines
This is a photo of the "true" miniatum, [see Asco. garayi to see the commonly labeled A. miniatum] a miniature monopodial as its name implies, a very attractive plant with thick fleshy v-shaped 4" leaves rising up to 5" in height, numerous upright spikes up to 10" [25 cm] long, emerge from between the leaves bearing 30 or more brilliant orange/red blooms, the symmetrical 1/2" flowers have an orange/yellow lip with a bright orange 1/2" spur, very easy grower, drought tolerant, great floral display.
This species and Asco. garayi are very similar and more often than not A garayii is sold as A miniatum. The two differ in A garayii having flowers with deep solid orange color and very elliptical petals and sepals as well as a straight lip, A miniatum on the other hand has clearer, more transparent orange flowers with more noticeable veining and the sepals and petals are much narrower and the lip is recurved.
Synonyms Gastrochilus miniatus (Lindl.) Kuntze 1891; *Saccolabium miniatum Lindl. 1847; Vanda miniata ( Lindl. ) L.M.Gardiner 2012
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Von Java J.J.Sm. 1905 as Saccolabium miniatum; Die Orchideen Von Java Figuren Atlas J.J.Smith 1908 drawing fide; Studies in the Family Orchidaceae Fascile 2 Ames 1908 as Saccolabium miniatum; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Flora of Malaya Holtum 1953 as Ascocentrum miniatum; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 1 1963; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1963 drawing/photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 48 #5 1979 photo not = A Garayii The Complete Writings on Philippine Orchids Vol 1 Quisumbing 1981; The Complete Writings on Philippine Orchids Vol 2 Quisumbing 1981 photo ok; Orchid Digest Vol 51 No 4 1987 photo not = A garayii; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1987; Opera Botanica #95 Seidenfaden 1988 drawing/photo not = A garayii; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 19/20 1129 - 1264 Brieger 1988 drawing/photo not = A garayii; Orchids of Java Comber 1990 photo ok; Miniature Orchids McQueen 1992; The Orchids of Penninsular Malaysia and Singapore Seidenfaden & Wood 1992 drawing not = A garayii; The Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb, Laurent 1992 photo not = A garayii; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 #1 1997 photo - A garayii; AOS Bulletin Vol 69 No 6 2000 photo not = A garayii ; A to Z of SE Asian Orchids O'Byrne 2001 photo fide;Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb and Laurent 1992; Identification of the Orchids [Orchidaceae Juss.] Vietnam Averyanov 1994; The Orchids of Penninsular Malaysia Teo 1985; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; AOS Bulletin Vol 80 #3 2011 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 81 #7 2012 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 81 #11 2012 photo fide
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