Orchids of New Guinea

Next Genus: Genus Phaius section Limatodes

Genus Phaius

Phaius Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 2 (1790) 517, 529. Type species: Phaius grandifolius Lour. (= P. tankervilleae Banks)

Synonyms:

Genus Cyanorkis Thouars, Nouv. Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 19 (1809) 317. Type species: Phaius tetragonus Lindl.
Genus Hecabe Raf., Fl. Tellur. 4 (1836) 44 Type species: Hecabe lutea Raf.
Genus Pachyne Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. 1 (1812) 299. Type species: Pachyne spectabilis Salosb.
Limatodes Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 375. Type species: Limatodes pauciflora Blume
Genus Tankervillia Link, Handb. 1 (1829) 251
Paraphaius J.W. Zhai, Z.J. Liu & F.W. Xing, Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 77 (2014) 221. Type species: Paraphius.fiavus (Blume) J.W. Zhai , Z.J. Liu & F.X. Wing
Pesomeria Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg., Misc., 5 (1838) Type species: Pesomeria tetragona Lindl.
Phaeus von Post & 0. Kuntze, Lex. Gen. Phan. (1903) 429, orth. var
Phajus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. Pl. (1831) 126, orth. var.
Genus Tankervillia Link, Handb. 1 (1829) 251) Type species: Tankervillia cantoniensis Link

Sympodial terrestrial or less often epiphytic plants with very short rhizomes. Stem pseudobulb-like and short and thick, or cylindrical or tetragonal, elongated, consisting of more than one internode, few-leaved; often with a pseudostem consisting of elongated overlapping leaf sheaths. Leaves medium size ot large, sheathing at the base, glabrous, plicate, convolute, thin-textured. Inflorescence racemose, basal from the pseudobulb or lateral from the stem, few- to many-flowered. Flowers medium-sized to large, resupinate, often showy. Sepals free. Petals free, usually rather similar to the sepals. Lip with or rarely without spur, fused to the base of the column, basal part clasping the column. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 8, solid, caudicles present, stipe absent, viscidium absent.

Distribution:

Tropical Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, tropical continental Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Pacific islands east to Tahiti. About 41 species with 2 subspecies and 14 varieties; in New Guinea 6 species, one of which is endemic, and 3 varieties of the most common and widespread species.

Habitat:

Terrestrial or epiphytic in lowland and montane forest, or terrestrial in open places in the mountains.

References:

Pridgeon, A. M., P.J. Cribb, M.W. Chase & F.N. Rasmussen (Eds.). 2005. Genera Orchidacearum, Volume 4: Epidendroideae (Part one). Pp. 149-151. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Stone, J. & P. Cribb, Lady Tankerville's Legacy vi, (iv), 1-278, 251 Figs, 64 Maps, 29 Plates

Classification:

Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Collabieae
Genus Phaius

Notes:

In New Guinea the genus Phaius is represented by 6 species, of which 1 is endemic. Five are robust plants with tall inflorescences and large plicate leaves, the firth, Phaius flavus, is smaller-sized. Phaius is related to Calanthe, but the flowers look quite different as the column is largely free from the lip, while the lip partly envelopes the column. Both share the characteristic that flowers when bruised colour dark blue. Phaius tankervilleae is very common in cultivation, the other species are much less frequently encountered.

KEY TO THE SECTIONS OF THE GENUS PHAIUS

1a. Plant with short pseudobulbs. Inflorescences from the base of the pseudobulb == Genus Phaius Section Phaius
1b. Plant with elongated stems. Inflorescences from the top part of the stem == Genus Phaius Section Limatodes

Genus Phaius in New Guinea is represented by 6 species and 3 varieties:

Phaius amboinensis
Phaius flavus
Phaius montanus
Phaius robertsii
Phaius tanjiewhoei
Phaius tankervilleae
Phaius tankervilleae variety bernzysii
Phaius tankervilleae variety devogelii
Phaius tankervilleae variety tankervilleae