Phalaenopsis schilleriana

By the standards of the genus ,this species is extraordiary in two ways : the upper side of its leaves are covered with decorative silvery spots ,while the roots are conspicuously flat in the cross- section and they contain a lot of chlorophyll. The arched ,branched inflorescence bears upto 30 pinkish purple flowers ,2-2.4 in/5-6 cm across. The lip is yellowish in the midddle part and speckled with red dots ,same as the lower tepals .Flowers appear between February and May .They are not very long lived and fade fast if placed in a vase. The species can be grown either in a flowerpot or epiphytically (ideally in a layer of moss). The species comes from the Philippines.