Phalaenopsis violacea

Phalaenopsis violacea is a species of orchid endemic to the Andaman Islands, the Nicobar Islands and northwestern Sumatra.

Phalaenopsis violacea
Flower of Phalaenopsis violacea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Phalaenopsis
Species:
P. violacea
Binomial name
Phalaenopsis violacea
H.Witte
Synonyms[2]
  • Stauritis violacea (H.Witte) Rchb.f.
  • Stauropsis violacea (H.Witte) Rchb.f.
  • Polychilos violacea (H.Witte) Shim
  • Phalaenopsis violacea f. alba (Teijsm. & Binn.) Christenson
  • Phalaenopsis violacea f. coerulea Christenson

Description

Phalaenopsis violacea is a species of orchid belonging to the genus Phalaenopsis.The plant has a compact habit, with medium size, wide green leaves. The individual flower of this plant is small (3.5 cm wide), fragrant and mostly violet. Some varieties of this plant have some green colour on the tepal edges.

The plant was discovered in 1859 by Johannes Teijsmann, who sent it to the botanic garden at Leiden, Netherlands, Hortus Botanicus Leiden. It was then flowered by H. Witte. In that same year the banker Jan Abraham Willink W.Z.N. a dedicated amateur of orchids in Amsterdam,[3] also received some plants of the species and sent some of the flowering material to Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach who described it in 1862 under the name Stauritis violacea. In the same year Teijsmann and Binnedijk in Bogor, Java, also described their plant. as Phalaenopsis violacea.

Since the 20th century the species has been a parent in numerous Phalaenopsis hybrids in commerce.

Taxonomy

This species is closely related to Phalaenopsis bellina and Phalaenopsis mentawaiensis, which were formerly included within Phalaenopsis violacea sensu lato. From the former broadly defined Phalaenopsis violacea the separation of Phalaenopsis bellina was published in 1995, followed by the more recent separation of Phalaenopsis mentawaiensis in 2014.

Natural hybrids

It is one of the parent species of the natural hybrid Phalaenopsis × gersenii.

References
  1. Chadburn, H. (2013). "Phalaenopsis violacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2013: e.T44393331A44529144. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T44393331A44529144.en.
  2. "Phalaenopsis violacea". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  3. Doubtless it was the same "Mr. Willink" who imported from Java the variegated Coleus blumei, (now known as Plectranthus scutellarioides), according to The Florist, Fruitist, and Garden Miscellany vol. 5 (1855), September, p 285; J. A. Willink died 31 May 1852, according to Proceedings at the Laying of the Corner-stone of the Ludlow and Willink Hall... 1866, p 29, but Annales d'horticulture et de botanique, ou Flore des jardins du Royaume des Pays-Bas vol 3, 1860 p. 86, reports a prize he had won and gives a report of the orchids currently under his care.


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