The genus ''Paraphalaenopsis'', abbreviated as Prphln in horticultural trade, is a member of the orchid family (

Orchidaceae 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 flowering ...

), consisting of 4 species

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 elsew ...

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 eas ...

and one natural (unconfirmed) hybrid, ''

Paraphalaenopsis × thorntonii The genus ''Paraphalaenopsis'', abbreviated as Prphln in horticultural trade, is a member of the orchid family (Orchidaceae), consisting of 4 species endemic to Borneo and one natural (unconfirmed) hybrid, '' Paraphalaenopsis × thorntonii'' (''P ...

'' (''P. denevei'' × ''P. serpentilingua''). Named by American botanist

Alex Drum Hawkes Alex Drum Hawkes (1927–1977) was an American botanist and cookbook author who lived in Coconut Grove, Florida & Kingston, Jamaica. Alex specialized in orchids, bromeliads, palm trees, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Named the orchid genera '' ...

. They are morphologically similar to ''

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-lasting ...

'' and were a long time considered as species of that genus. Their flowers are similar, but the leaves of ''Paraphalaenopsis'' are cylindrical and long (from 35 cm up to 3m in cultivation). This latter measurement belongs to the "rat-tail orchid" (''P. labukensis'') with a maximum length of 3.05 meters (ten feet); the greatest length of any orchid leaf. These leaves resemble the leaves of the

Holcoglossum ''Holcoglossum'' (''Holc.'') is a genus of orchids, in the family Orchidaceae. It is native to China and Southeast Asia. Description All species of this genus are perennial epi- or lithophytes and are characterized by a short monopodial shoot ax ...

. These are

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

s that bloom in early spring.

Species

References

Vandeae genera Aeridinae Epiphytic orchids {{Vandeae-stub