''Phalaenopsis bellina'' is an

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...

. It is one of 75 species of

Phalaenopsis ''Phalaenopsis'' (), also known as moth orchids, is a genus of about seventy species of plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are monopodial epiphytes or lithophytes with long, coarse roots, short, leafy stems and long-lasti ...

and one of the most commonly cultivated species in the genus.

Distribution

''Phalaenopsis bellina'' is found in parts of Borneo, growing in the canopy of trees where they receive abundant sunlight, and experience pronounced wet and dry cycles.

Taxonomy

''Phalaenopsis'' comes from the Greek word ''phalaina'', which means "moth", and the Latin word ''bella'', which means "beautiful". ''Phalaenopsis bellina'' was originally called ''P. violacea'' var. Borneo, however it has since been moved into its own species due to differences in habitat and plant morphology. The varieties include ''coerulea'', ''rubra'', ''alba'', and ''murtoniana''. The ''coerulea'' form has bluish-violet pigment as opposed to the typically magenta coloring of the nominate type. The ''rubra'' form is solid magenta, however it is believed to be a hybrid between ''P. bellina'' and its sister species ''P. violacea''. The ''alba'' form lacks all pigment, and the flowers thus appear white, and sometimes faintly green. The ''murtoniana'' form has a yellow-orange flower base, overlaid with random reddish blotches.

Natural hybrids

It is one of the parent species of the natural hybrid '' Phalaenopsis × singuliflora''.

Description

Flowers

Star shaped, 5–6 cm in size, deeply saturated fuchsia or violet near the base of sepals and petals. Interior half of the lower sepals typically display more coloration than other sepals and petals.

Inflorescence

Inflorescences emerge from the leaf axils arranged alternately on the main stem. Oftentimes during development they puncture the epidermis at the base of the leaves. A single inflorescence typically carries only 2 or 3 flowers at a time, however more has been observed. Flowers may emerge from the tip of the inflorescence from spring through summer, and continue to do so for many years until the stem dries up.

Leaves

''Phalaenopsis bellina'' has thick, succulent leaves. They are oval, light to medium green, and sometimes wavy. When mounted, leaves grow so that older, lower leaves are shifted towards the sides while new growth points downwards, in order to expose as much surface area to sunlight. Potted plants do not display this growth habit, so it is often recommended that plants be grown mounted to best expose leaves to light.

Roots

''Phalaenopsis bellina'' has a fibrous root system, with roots usually emerging near the base of the stem. The root is composed of a spongy outer layer called the

velamen Velamen or velamen radicum is a spongy, multiple epidermis that covers the roots of some epiphytic or semi-epiphytic plants, such as orchid and '' Clivia'' species. The velamen of an orchid is the white or gray covering of aerial roots (when dry ...

, which is responsible for protecting underlying cells from UV rays and physical damage, as well as absorbing water. New growth emerges from the root tips, and is usually a light green color until the velamen matures and turns older roots grayish-green. Roots are thick and are capable of holding water for extended periods of drought. Dense root hairs emerge from the velamen and root tips to anchor plants to host trees or mounts.

Hybridization

''Phalaenopsis bellina'' is commonly used in ''Phalaenopsis'' hybridization, and is the parent of 30 or more primary hybrids as well as hundreds of complex hybrids. Its desirable traits include its wide petals, fragrance, and deep saturated color.

Cultivation

''Phalaenopsis bellina'' prefers bright, filtered light, warm temperatures, and good air circulation. It is essential that potting/mounting media approaches dryness between waterings to avoid root rot. Distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water is recommended if municipal water is hard or has a high TDS count, because salt buildup in the planting media can quickly desiccate and kill roots. Large plants grow quickly and should thus be fertilized regularly during the growing season to promote growth of new leaves, roots, and flowers. When plants have outgrown their pots or mounts, it is recommended to move them into the new substrate while new roots are growing so that the plant can acclimate to its new conditions. Since ''P. bellina'' is epiphytic, it prefers to have good air movement around its roots. This means using a loose, airy medium such as fir bark, tree fern fiber, synthetic media, and others.

Pests and diseases

Diseases

* Bacteria soft rot: quickly spreading bacterial rot that leaves infected areas watery and soft. Best method of treatment is removal of infected tissue. *

Anthracnose A plant canker is a small area of dead tissue, which grows slowly, often over years. Some cankers are of only minor consequence, but others are ultimately lethal and therefore can have major economic implications for agriculture and horticultur ...

: a group of fungal diseases that cause leaf spots, blotches, dieback, and others. Spreads in wet conditions. *

Black rot Black rot is a name used for various diseases of cultivated plants caused by fungi or bacteria, producing dark brown discoloration and decay in the leaves of fruit and vegetables: * A disease of the apple, pear and quince caused by a fungus ('' Botr ...

: fungal disease that spreads quickly through plant tissue, turning it black. Spreads by splashing water between affected plants.

Pests

Aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

s: insect pest that sucks sap from plant tissue, excreting a substance called honeydew, which invites other fungal disease. *

Thrips Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are minute (mostly long or less), slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed mostly on plants by puncturing and sucking up the contents, although a few are ...

: insect pest that sucks sap from plant tissue, can kill host plants if infestations become too severe. *

Mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear e ...

s: tiny arachnid pests that suck sap and remove chlorophyll from leaves, turning them silvery. They are also potential vectors for diseases. * Mealybugs: produce large quantities of honeydew by sucking sap, which attracts ants and fungal diseases. * Scale: common pest that spreads between plants quickly and sucks sap. * Slugs and

Snail A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class G ...

s: pest that consumes young, tender growths, especially developing root tips and flower buds. *

Whiteflies Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described. Description and taxonomy The ...

: insect pest that sucks sap, producing honeydew that attracts ants and other fungal diseases.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1599725 bellina Endemic flora of Borneo Orchids of Borneo Plants described in 1884