Phalaenopsis tetraspis Rchb.f. 1870 SUBGENUS Phalaenopsis SECTION Polychilos
Photo by © Eric Hunt
Photo by J A Fowlie
Photo by The Oman and His Orchid Website.
to 
Common Name The Four Shield Phalaenopsis
Flower Size 1.6" to 2.4" [4 to 6 cm]
Found in Sumatra, the Andaman Islands and Nicobar islands in very shady, dim forests and on mangroves above braqckish water at elevations of sea level to 400 meters as a medium sized, hot growing epiphyte with a short stem carrying obovate, shortly acute to obtuse, gradually narrowing below to the basally clasping leaves that blooms in the summer on an arching, lateral, 12 to 16" [30 to 40 cm] long, racemose or paniculate, fractiflex rachis, many flowered inflorescence that is longer than the leaves and has small triangular, concave floral bracts and carrying 4 to 8, fleshy, glossy, strongly fragrant flowers
This orchid ia a hot growing epiphyte that likes high humidity and regular waterings year round.
Synonyms Phalaenopsis barrti King ex Hook. f. 1895; Phalaenopsis imperati ?;Phalaenopsis speciosa var tetraspis [Rchb.f] Sweet 1968; Phalaenopsis sumatrana var alba Wilson 1915;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1868; A Century of Indian Orchids Vol 5 Hooker 1895 drawing fide; The Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/95; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 1 1958 drawing good; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 35 No 1 1966; AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 as P speciosa var tetraspis drawing fide; Indian Orchids A Guide to Identification and Culture Vol 2 Pradhan 1979 as P speciosa var tetraspis drawing fide; The Genus Phalaenopsis Sweet 1980 as P speciosa var tetraspis drawing fide; The Genus Phalaenopsis Sweet 1980 as P sumatrana var alba; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 19/20 1129 - 1264 Brieger 1988 as P speciosa var tetraspis; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 19/20 1129 - 1264 Brieger 1988 as P sumatrana var alba; Orchid Species Culture "P" Bakers 1991; Orchid Digest Vol 56 No 1 1992 photo/drawing; Phalaenopsis, A Monograph EA Christenson 2001 drawing/photo fide; A to Z of South East Asian Orchid Species Vol 1 O'Byrne 2001 as P speciosa photo fide; Orchids of Sumatra Comber 2001 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 66 #4 2002 photo fide; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; Mille et Une Mini Orchideees Roguenant 2009 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 77 #4 2013 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 84 #6 2015 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #3 2016 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #7 2016 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 87 #10 2018 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 83 #4 2019 Photo fide AOS Bulletin Vol 88 #8 2019 photo fide;
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