Phalaenopsis lowii Rchb.f 1862 Subgenus Proboscidioides [Rolfe] E. A. Christensen 2001 Photo by © Lourens Grobler .

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Common Name Low's Phalaenopsis [English ORchid Gardener and collector 1800/s]

Flower Size about 2" [5 cm]

A cool to warm growing, miniature epiphyte or sometimes lithophyte with deciduous leaves from Myanamar, Thailand and Borneo found in conjunction with limestone rocks at elevations around 800 meters near rivers with an erect or ascending stem enveloped by imbricating leaf bases carrying elliptic, obovate or oblong-elliptic, fleshy, acute or obtuse leaves that blooms in the summer and fall on a lateral, arcuate to pendant, 10 to 15" [25 to 37.5 cm] long, racemose or rarely paniculate, laxly many flowered inflorescence with small triangular bracts and fragrant, fleshy, long-lived flowers that have an extremely long, beak-like rostellum. This species experiences a long drought in nature which causes it to shed it's leaves, in cultivation it is best to grow it wetter and keep 3 to 5 leaves for optimum growing.

Synonyms Phalaenopsis proboscidioides Parish ex Rchb.f 1868; Polychilos lowii (Rchb. f.) Shim 1982

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95

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