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While there are quite a few genuses of orchids—around 850 in total, according to the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, these seven produce naturally colorful orchid flowers. Phalaenopsis: Also called ...
Phalaenopsis (/ ˌ f æ l ɪ ˈ n ɒ p s ɪ s /), also known as moth orchids, [2] is a genus of about seventy species of plants in the family Orchidaceae.Orchids in this genus are monopodial epiphytes or lithophytes with long, coarse roots, short, leafy stems and long-lasting, flat flowers arranged in a flowering stem that often branches near the end.
Phalaenopsis amabilis, commonly known as the moon orchid, moth orchid, [7] or mariposa orchid, [8] is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae. It is widely cultivated as a decorative houseplant .
This species has smaller flowers than Phalaenopsis luteola. The ground colour is off-white, tinged with green. In addition the lateral sepals are shaped differently. In Phalaenopsis maculata flowers, they are divergent and in Phalaenopsis luteola flowers, which have a yellow ground colour they are falcate to subparallel. [2]
A Phalaenopsis flower. Orchids are easily distinguished from other plants, as they share some very evident derived characteristics or synapomorphies.Among these are: bilateral symmetry of the flower (zygomorphism), many resupinate flowers, a nearly always highly modified petal (labellum), fused stamens and carpels, and extremely small seeds.
Illustration of Phalaenopsis sumatrana from Curtis's Botanical Magazine, vol. 91, 1865. Phalaenopsis sumatrana is a medium-sized, monopodial, epiphytic orchid. It has a short stem, usually singular, covered with large overlapping oval leaves. The flowers are mildly fragrant, with waxy or fleshy petals and sepals, and of somewhat variable color.
In Phalaenopsis species with horizontal stems, such as P. hieroglyphica, the leaves are pendant and grow downward to drain rainwater away from the plant. The reproductive organ is the column, found between the two largest petals of Phalaenopsis orchids. The lip, connected to the flower by the column, aids in pollination.
Phalaenopsis equestris var. rosea— flowers with even red petals and sepals; color of the mid-lobe of the lip varies from deep red to light red. Phalaenopsis equestris var. leucaspis — small flowers with white edges on pink petals and sepals; mid-lobe of the lip is purple or orange in color with white or yellow callus.