Phalaenopsis difformis

(Redirected from Ornithochilus difformis)

Phalaenopsis difformis, also known as the dark brown Phalaenopsis, is a species of epiphytic orchid native to Assam, Borneo, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam and West Himalaya.[2]

Phalaenopsis difformis
Flower detail
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Phalaenopsis
Species:
P. difformis
Binomial name
Phalaenopsis difformis
(Wall. ex Lindl.) Kocyan & Schuit.[2]
Varieties[2]
  • Phalaenopsis difformis var. difformis
  • Phalaenopsis difformis var. kinabaluensis (J.J.Wood, A.Lamb & Shim) Kocyan & Schuit.
Synonyms[2][3][4]
  • Aerides difformis Wall. ex Lindl.
  • Ornithochilus difformis (Wall. ex Lindl.) Schltr.
  • Sarcochilus difformis (Wall. ex Lindl.) Tang & F.T.Wang
  • Trichoglottis diformis (Wall. ex Lindl.) T.B.Nguyen & D.H.Duong

Synonyms of Phalaenopsis difformis var. difformis

  • Ornithochilus delavayi Finet
  • Ornithochilus doritoides (Guillaumin) R.Rice
  • Ornithochilus eublepharon Hance
  • Ornithochilus fuscus Wall. ex Lindl.
  • Vanda doritoides Guillaumin

Synonyms of Phalaenopsis difformis var. kinabaluensis

  • Ornithochilus difformis var. kinabaluensis J.J.Wood, A.L.Lamb & Shim
  • Ornithochilus kinabaluensis (J.J.Wood, A.L.Lamb & Shim) R.Rice & A.L.Lamb

Taxonomy

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This species has a complex taxonomic history and has been previously assigned to several genera. Within this species two variations, Phalaenopsis difformis var. difformis and Phalaenopsis difformis var. kinabaluensis (J.J.Wood, A.L.Lamb & Shim) Kocyan & Schuit., are formally recognized.[2]

Description

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The very short-stemmed plants bear few, coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, flat, spreading leaves between 7-16 cm in length and 3-4 cm in width. The flowers are of unusual shape for the genus and arise between late June to early July from pendulous, many-flowered, 20-30 cm long inflorescences, which exceed the leaves in length.[5] The many-flowered inflorescences resemble a flying swarm of insects.[6] The greenish-yellow flowers with brown bands are 1.2 cm wide. The most striking feature is the unusual shape of the labellum. It is much longer than the sepals and the recurved side lobes have a pectinate (i.e. comb-like[7]) margin. This species has often been found growing on Glochidion heyneanum var. heyneanum (syn. Glochidion velutinum[8]) trees at altitudes of 20 m in evergreen forests.[5]

Ecology

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This species are lithophytes or epiphytes.[6]

Etymology

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The specific epithet difformis is derived from Latin meaning misshapen or illformed.[9] This refers to the highly unusual labellum.

Conservation

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The IUCN has not assessed this species conservation status. It is however protected unter the CITES appendix II regulations of international trade.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b CITES | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. "Phalaenopsis" Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Phalaenopsis difformis (Wall. ex Lindl.) Kocyan & Schuit. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". powo.science.kew.org. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Phalaenopsis difformis var. difformis". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Phalaenopsis difformis var. kinabaluensis (J.J.Wood, A.Lamb & Shim) Kocyan". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b Huda, M. K., Hoque, M. M., & Alam, M. O. (2020). Three new Angiospermic (Orchidaceae) records from Bangladesh. Jahangirnagar University Journal of Biological Sciences, 9(1-2), 123-132.
  6. ^ a b Teoh, E. S. (2016). "Medicinal orchids of Asia" (Vol. 16, No. 4). Cham: Springer.
  7. ^ pectinate. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014). Retrieved February 18 2022 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/pectinate
  8. ^ "Glochidion heyneanum var. heyneanum". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  9. ^ Alrich, Peggy & Higgins, Wesley. (2016). "Phalaenopsis difformis." 26. 20-21.