Moth Orchid

Common name for any kind of orchid in the genus Phalaenopsis, that belong to one of the most popular orchids in the orchid trade and of which there are circa 60 species. They are native throughout Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas to the Philippines and northern Australia. The flowers can have a variety of colours, and the White Orchid Moth is the national flower of Indonesia (fig.). The name Moth Orchid derives from the fact that the flowers of these orchids have petals that resemble the wings of certain moths, with the petals that grow the closest to the stem in fact resembling the delta-shaped wings of Hawk Moths (fig.) and of Fruit-piercing Moths (fig.). 回