Vandopsis lissochiloides

Vandopsis lissochiloides (Gaudich.) Pfitzer in Engl. & Prantl, Naturl. Pflanzenfam. 2, 6 (1889) 210

Basionym: Fieldia lissochiloides

Very large lithophyte with branching stems forming tangled masses. Stems to 100 cm long or more, up to 2 cm diam. (excluding the leaf-sheaths), branching in the basal part, densely many leaved. Leaves to 40 by 5 cm (when flattened), strap-shaped, channeled, apex unequally bilobulate, with rounded lobules. Inflorescence erect, unbranched, to 70 cm or more long, laxly many-flowered. Flowers 5.5 cm diam., widely opening. Sepals oblong elliptic, obtuse. Median sepal 3 by 1.6 cm. Lateral sepals 2.8 by 1.5 cm. Petals 2.7 by 1.4 cm, obovate, subacute. Lip weakly 3-lobed, at the base concave, with an irregular, raised, longitudinal crest in the center flanked by two lower keels; lateral lobes erect, low; mid-lobe 1.5 cm long, porrect, wedge-shaped, with 3 rounded keels, with upturned, pointed apex. Column 0.4 cm long, 0.5 cm diam. (Largely after van Bodegom, 1973)

Colours: Sepals and petals outside pinkish purple, inside light yellow with red-brown spots, some of which are O-shaped. Lip in the basal part yellow tinged red-brown with pinkish purple keels, mid-lobe pinkish purple. Column white with pinkish purple markings, anther pinkish purple.

Habitat: Lithophyte on boulders and limestone cliffs in the lowlands, often coastal; 0 to 5 m, often found with Paphiopedilum glanduliferum.

Flowering time in the wild: February, June.

Distribution: Malesia (Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea, Philippines), Thailand, Laos.

Distribution in New Guinea: Papua (Indonesia). See map: 718-13M.JPG.

Cultivation: Warm growing lithophyte, requires light position.

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