BOLD Systems: Taxonomy Browser - Phalaenopsis amabilis {species}

Sub-taxa

Taxon Description (Wikipedia)

Phalaenopsis amabilis, commonly known as the moon orchid, moth orchid, or mariposa orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae. It is widely cultivated as a decorative houseplant. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with long, thick roots, between two and eight thick, fleshy leaves with their bases hiding the stem and nearly flat, white, long-lasting flowers on a branching flowering stem with up to ten flowers on each branch. Phalaenopsis amabilis is native to Maritime Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia. It has three subspecies: P. a. amabilis, native to the Philippines (Palawan), Malaysia (Borneo), Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, and Java); P. a. moluccana, native to the Maluku Islands (Seram and Buru Islands) and Sulawesi of Indonesia; and P. a. rosenstromii, native to Papua New Guinea and Australia (northeastern Queensland). Phalaenospsis amabilis is one of the three national flowers of Indonesia, where it is known as anggrek bulan (lit. "moon orchid"). full article at Wikipedia