Phalaenopsis honghenensis F.Y. Liu, in situ
Phalaenopsis honghenensis F.Y. Liu, was discovered in north of Thailand at Doi Angkhang, 300 Km North of Chiang Mai. It is here, in a mountainous area near the border with Burma that in June 2012, Mr. Pornpett Momkeaw was very fortunate to discover, in full bloom, plants of Phalaenopsis honghenensis, thus discovering for the first time this plant in Thailand. This species is often grown as Phalaenopsis braceana. In an article published in 2010 Stig Dalstrom, Ngawang Gyeltshen and Thomas Höijer establish that Phalaenopsis braceana is synonymous with Phalaenopsis taenialis so this name should not be used. In another article published later in 2010, Stig Dalstrom and Paul Ormerod establish that plants grown and improperly named as Phalaenopsis braceana correspond to a species described by Professor Liu in 1991. At that date, from a plant collected in the Yunnan province of China, Professor Liu described a new Phalaenopsis species and named it Phalaenopsis honghenensis.
The plants are in full bloom in June. They are growing as epiphytes on trees with mossy trunks and are protected from direct sunlight by the foliage of host trees. The flower stems are growing far from the trunks, highlighting the flowers.
The plants have many flat roots that hang the plant firmly to its host. Few leaves are present during flowering.	The flowers are conspicuous. Note the thick layer of mosses and lichens growing on the branches near the plants. The fourth flower of the floral stem at the top has a different coloration and appears to be a flower having been fertilized and beginning to develop a capsule.
Click on the photo to enlarge it and note the flatter shape of the lip of this plant. Also notice the caterpillar which lies between two flowers. Its color is very close to the color of the flowers and both ends are black.	Note the prominent spur on the flower view by side located in the center of the photo, as well as on the last flower starting to open. Note that the spur is already visible on the last two buttons still closed.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.