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, flat flowers arranged in a flowering stem that often branches near the end. Orchids in this genus are native to Asia, New Guinea, and Australia, but mostly occur in Indonesia and the Philippines.

==Description== thumb|right|Phalaenopsis difformis of Phalaenopsis subg. Ornithochilus thumb|right|Phalaenopsis japonica of Phalaenopsis subg. Hygrochilus thumb|right|Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica of Phalaenopsis sect. Polychilos thumb|right|Phalaenopsis taenialis of Phalaenopsis sect. Aphyllae thumb|right|Phalaenopsis lobbii of Phalaenopsis sect. Parishianae thumb|right|Pneumatodes in roots of [[Phalaenopsis philippinensis]] Orchids in the genus Phalaenopsis are monopodial epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic herbs with long, coarse roots with pneumatodes (which allow for gaseous exchange of the photosynthetic roots), and short leafy stems hidden by overlapping leaf bases. The leaves are usually arranged in two rows, relatively large and leathery, oblong to elliptic and sometimes succulent. A few to many, small to large, long-lasting, flat, often fragrant flowers are arranged on erect to hanging racemes or panicles. The sepals and petals are free from and spread widely apart from each other. The lateral sepals are usually larger than the dorsal sepal and the petals much wider than the sepals. The labellum is joined stiffly to the column and has three lobes. The side lobes are erect and more or less parallel to each other and the middle lobe sometimes has a pair of appendages or antennae.