Phalaenopsis aphrodite

[edwardwang]

P. aphrodite is usually confused by the other species -P. amabilis.
I spent almost over 6 months to learn that. But the best way is to grow some.
The ways to tell the differences are watching the callus and lip. If you have enough experiece, even can judge where it came from.
But remember most these white flowers came from Philippines are P. aphrodite. Only from the Palawan or some small islands near the Borneo are P. amabilis. On the other hand, most P. amabilis are from Malaysia and Indonesia.
There is another trouble species , P. aphrodite var. formosa, or P. amabilis var. formosa. Recently the local university has made a study, in fact, it is different from P. aphrodite by DNA exam. That is why the Jappanese botanist gave it the indepent name of P. formosa in the past.
If you check these correct species together, it is easy to find the differeces, but the P. formosa has almost become extinct in the wild, so it is not so important or has enough prooves to correct the name now.

[dgenovese1]

Hi Edward,
They are beautiful...and thanks for the lesson.

I really like the way the lip structure makes it appear that the blooms have two eyes when they are photographed with a dark background. Very cool.

[edwardwang]

Hi, David, long time no see. How are you?
These blooms look very interesting, or they look like as funny as pig's nose.

[dgenovese1]

Originally Posted by edwardwang

Hi, David, long time no see. How are you?
These blooms look very interesting, or they look like as funny as pig's nose.

Hi Edward,
I've been fine, thanks.

It has been an extremely busy winter...and spring so far, but things are settling down a bit. Hopefully I'll have more time to browse the forums now...at least for a while.

[greenbean]

I should really wear a bib or keep a towel handy when I log on to Orchid Board.

Thanks for the great pictures and fascinating info on amabilis and aphrodite! They're all incredible, but I think fuga, the fourth one, is my favorite. Maybe it's just got a better show because of the multiple spikes, but something just attracts me to it more than the others.

[edwardwang]

Originally Posted by greenbean

I should really wear a bib or kbut I think fuga, the fourth one, is my favorite. Maybe it's just got a better show because of the multiple spikes, but something just attracts me to it more than the others.

Most people like the round and multiple flower. Some wilde form, indeed, looks very strange or ugly. But still people do love them.
They say it is wild, very wild instead of ugly.