Anyone know ID for these pics submited to 2009 Calendar competition

[RosieC]

I'm interested to know about these three pics, all of which were submitted by different people to the 2009 Calendar competition (but not in the Calendar). I don't know who posted them.

First, are they all the same Orchid? (I can't tell if the two close-up's are the same size flowers as in the other one and for all I know the close-ups could be completly different things to each other).

Are they Phalenopsis?

Are they Phal equestris, or related to Phal equestris?

On the subject of equestris, I've seen lots of closeup pics, but is this a species with very small flowers like the third pic here.

I am interested in getting hold of something like these and so I'm interested to know.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Looks like Phal equestris. I understand the confusion, because within a species there is variation. Just like not every person looks alike.

[whygreenberg]

Yes, Rosie. Definitely Phal. equestris. It is a very small grower, but is known for being quite floriferous. It is a sequential bloomer, so they last along time—mine opened it's first bloom back in February, and it's still opening buds on the same spike now! It is also supposedly quite the keiki-maker. A really very easy and rewarding species to grow. Here's a pic of mine from March.

[RosieC]

Thanks King & Yvan,

Ivan, I originally thought the flowers in the third pic look a lot smaller than on yours, but I realise on closer inspection that the Phal in the third pic is in a BIG pot and there could even be multiple plants in it, so I think it could be comparable.

What sort of size are the flowers of Phal equestris?

I have read that it is used in hybrids to reduce the flower size and to increase the number of flowers, but the flowers do not look as tiny in your pic as I imagined.

[whygreenberg]

Rosie... just measured for you, and from tip to tip of the petals, it measures just under 1.25 inches across.

[RosieC]

Thanks Yvan,

So they're small, but not as small as I first imagined (I've seen a NOID Phal with flowers the shape of equestris but only 0.5" across).

Of course I'm sure they vary across the species, but that's great to know.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Phal equestris isn't the only Phal species with small flowers, there are a few others such as Phal appendiculata which is the smallest Phalaenopsis species known to date.

Kingidium deliciosa (Phal deliciosa) is also small flowered.

Your NOID Phal could have any number of small flowered Phal species in it's genetics depending on what the flowers look like.

[RosieC]

Thanks King,

They looked a bit equestris like, but I dont know the others you mention so they could also have looked like that.

What suprised me was that it was not a mini in the size of the plant, just very small flowers whose shape was not the standard NOID hybrid type of shape.

Anyway I can't get many new orchids past my hubby just now, or I might have bought it even though it was a NOID.