phaius tankervilleae

This species is the most valuable representative of its genus as far as cultivation is concerned ,and it is also the best known . It grows usually in the ground ,in the humus of sparse forests or between tussocks of grass in savannas . Its egg-shaped pseudobulbs give rise to an erect , 24 -in /60 -cm tall spike bearing 5 -10 flowers . The purple flower lip is complicated with elegant brownish tepals . The decorative ,durable inflorescenes are sometimes grown for cut flowers . The recommended style of cultivation includes a rather heavy humic substrate ,semi-shade and moderate round the year watering . The species blooms in the fall and winter . It was orginally widespread only in southwest Asia ,Australia and the Pacific Islands ; later , by human intervention ,it started growing also in Cuba ,Jamaica ,Hawaii and Panama .