Phalaenopsis gigantea J.J.Smith 1909 SUBGENUS Phalaenopsis SECTION Polychilos [Breda] Rchb.f

Photo by © Eric Hunt and

Phalaenopsis gigantea f. decolorata

Photo by © Alessandro Valenza

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Common Name The Gigantic Phalaenopsis - refers to the large leaves

Flower Size 1 1/2 to 2 3/4" [3.75 to 7 cm]

Found in Sabah, Borneo, and Sarawak, in lowland to hill forests at elevations of sealevel to 400 meters, this large sized, warm to hot growing, understory epiphyte has short stems completely enveloped by persistent, imbricating leaf sheaths and carrying 5 to 6, pendulous, leathery, shiny on both sides, elliptic to oblong-ovate, bluish green, obtuse leaves that can bloom at any time but mostly in the late summer and early fall on a 6 to 15" [15 to 40 cm] long, racemose or paniculate, pendulous, many flowered inflorescence with small, triangular bracts and sweetly orange peel scented, simultaneously opening flowers. The inflorescence if still green and undamaged can flower for several seasons so it is best to leave them on.

Synonyms Phalaenopsis gigantea f. decolorata (Braem ex Holle-De Raeve) Christenson 2001; Phalaenopsis gigantea var. aurea Christenson 2001; Phalaenopsis gigantea var. decolorata Braem ex Holle-De Raeve 1991; Polychilos gigantea (J.J. Sm.) Shim 1982

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 30 No 9 1961; AOS Bulletin Vol 33 #1 1964 photo fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 35 No 1 1966 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 36 #5 1967 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 38 #4 1969 drawing fide; Orchid Digest Vol 36 No 2 1972 photo fide; The Genus Phalaenopsis Sweet 1980 drawing/photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 46 No 1 1982 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 51 No 3 1987 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 51 No 3 1987 as P gigantea var flava photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 19/20 1129 - 1264 Brieger 1988 photo good; Schlechteriana Vol 2 No 1 1991 photo fide; *Schlechteriana Vol 2 No 1 1991 as P gigantea var decolorata; Orchid Species Culture "P" Bakers 1991; The Manual Of Cultivated Orchid Species Bechtel, Cribb & Launert 1992 drawing/photo fide; Orchids of Borneo Vol 1 Chan, Lamb, Shim & Wood 1994 drawing/photo fide; A Checklist of the Orchids of Borneo Wood & Cribb 1994 photo/drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 4 1999 photo fide; Phalaenopsis, A Monograph EA Christenson 2001 drawing/photo fide; *Phalaenopsis, A Monograph EA Christenson 2001 as P gigantea var aurea; *Phalaenopsis, A Monograph EA Christenson 2001 as P gigantea f. decolorata; Orchids of Sarawak Beeman & Wood 2001 photos fide; A to Z of South East Asian Orchid Species Vol 1 O'Byrne 2001 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 66 #4 2002 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 2 2004 photo fide; Australian Orchid Review Vol 72 No 4 2007 photo; Malesian Orchid Journal Vol 9 2012 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 84 #6 2015 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 80 #2 2016; Orchid Digest Vol 83 #4 2019 Photo fide

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