Phalaenopsis aphrodite Rchb.f 1862 SUBGENUS Phalaenopsis SECTION Phalaenopsis Benth 1883 Photo courtesy of Allen Black.

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name Aphrodite's Phalaenopsis [Goddess of Fertility]

Flower Size 3" or less [7.5 cm or less]

Occurring from Taiwan to the Philippines in primary and secondary forests at elevations of 0-1000 feet. It closely resembles P. amablis but differs in the red lip disc, the triangular mid lobe and it's smaller flowers of about 3" [7.5 cm] instead of the 4" [10 cm] flowers of P. amablis. The flowering season is from December until April on a lateral, 3' [90 cm] long, racemose or paniculate many flowered inflorescence with small bracts and likes it with shady, humid conditions.

Synonyms Phalaenopsis amabilis Lindl. 1838; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var ambigua [Rchb.f] Burb 1882; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var aphrodite [Rchb.f] Ames 1908; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var aphrodite subvar erubescens [Burb] Ames 1908; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var dayana Hort ex Warn 1881; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var erubescens [Burb] Burb 1882; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var formosana Shim 1921; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var longifolia Don 1845; Phalaenopsis amabilis [L. & Rchb.f] Blume var rotundifolia Don 1845; Phalaenopsis ambigua Rchb.f 1862; Phalaenopsis aphrodite var dayana Veitch 1891; Phalaenopsis babuyana Miwa 1941; Phalaenopsis erubescens Burb 1876; Phalaenopsis formosa, formosana, or formosum 1941

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae Rchb.f 1862 as P ambigua; Xenia Orchidaceae Rchb.f 1862; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No3 1958 photo; Orchidiana Philipiniana Vol 1 Valmayor 1984; Orchid Digest Vol 56 No 1 1992 photo as P formosanum; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 4 1999 photo; Phalaenopsis, A Monograph EA Christenson 2001; Flora Malesiana Orchids of the Philippines Vol I Agoo, Shuiteman and de Vogel 2003; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 2 2004 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 No 9 2008 photo

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