!Spathoglottis plicata Blume 1825 SECTION Lilacinae Photo courtesy of Joji Castaneda-Lapuz

toMOSTLY and

Common Name Pleated Leaf Spathoglottis

Flower Size 1 1/2" [4 cm]

A medium to large sized, warm to hot growing terrestrial species found at elevations of sealevel to 600 meters on rocky grassland slopes, in semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests and savana-like woodlands at elevations of sealevel to 700 meters in Bangladesh, eastern Himalayas, Assam, India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands, Myanamar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Borneo, Java, Malaysia, Sumatra, Moluccas, Philippines, Sulawesi, Bismark Islands, New Guinea, Solomon islands, Queensland Australia, Fiji, Niue, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Santa Cruz, Wallis and Futna, Carolines Islands, Marianas, Taiwan and the Ryukyus and as an invasive species Hawaii and the Caribbean. They can take full sun year round and require regular waterings and fertilizer year round. It has ovoid 3" [7.5 cm] psuedobulbs with numerous apical, stalked, linear-lanceolate, pointed, plicate, membraneous, and up to 3' [90 cm] long. The stiff, erect, up to 2 1/2' [75 cm] long, terminal inflorescence has a head of 5 to 25, successive opening, nonfragrant flowers that can bloom several times in a year but most often througth the spring and summer. This species is often found in conjunction with ants and may benefit from their presence.

In the Moluccas the leaves are heated up and applied as a poulstice to aching and rheumatic joints.

Synonyms Bletia angustifolia Gaud 1829; Calanthe poilanei Gagnep. 1951; Paxtonia rosea Lindley 1838; Phaius rumphii Blume 1856; Spathoglottis angustifolia (Gaudich.) Benth. & Hook.f. 1883; Spathoglottis daenikeri Kraenzl. 1929; Spathoglottis lilacina Griff 1851; Spathoglottis plicata var. minahassae Schltr. 1925; Spathoglottis rosea (Lindl.) G.Nicholson 1886; Spathoglottis spicata Lindley 1859;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae Vol 3 Reichenbach 1893; Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/1995; Die Orchideen Von Java J.J.Sm. 1905; AOS Bulletin Vol 26 No 2 1957; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 4 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 5 1959; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978; Orchid Digest Vol 42 No 5 1978 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 12 1982 stamp; Orchidiana Philipiniana Vol 1 Valmayor 1984; Orchids of Vanuatu Lewis & Cribb 1989; Orchids of Java Comber 1990; Lowland Orchids of Papua New Guinea O'Byrne 1994; Lowland Orchids of Papua New Guinea O'Byrne 1994 as S papuana; The Orchids of Samoa Cribb & Whistler 1996; AOS Bulletin Vol 69 No 5 2000 photo; Orchids of Sumatra Comber 2001; Lindleyana Vol 17 No 1 2002; Flora Malesiana Orchids of the Philippines Vol I Agoo, Shuiteman and de Vogel 2003; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 8 2004 photo; Wild Orchids in Myanamar Vol 2 Tanaka 2004; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006; Flora Malesia Orchids of New Guinea Vol V 2008; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 No 9 2008 photo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------