Arachnis flosaeris from Rejang Land (Sumatra Highland)

Found on the Malaysian pennisula as well as Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the Philippines in mangroves and along rivers at elevations of sea level to 1000 meters as a as a large to giant sized, warm growing monopodial, climbing epiphyte or scrambling lithophyte often over 15' tall, with terete, elongate, scandent stems carrying ligulate or linear-oblong, curved, slightly twisted, notched and gradually narrowing towards the apex, basally clasping leaves that are pierced below at intervals by roots and blooms on a simple or branched, axillary, to 4' [120 cm] long, ascending to drooping inflorescence with many widely spaced flowers with a strong musky to sweet scent occuring in humid environments almost continuously but most in the fall.

Synonyms Aerides arachnites Sw. 1799; Aerides flosaeris (L.) Sw. 1799; Arachnis flosaeris (L.) Schltr. 1911; Arachnis flosaeris var. gracilis Holttum 1935; Aerides matutinum Willd. 1805; Arachnis moschifera Blume 1826; Arachnanthe flos-aeris Rchb.f 1905; Arachnanthe moschifera Blume 1848; Epidendrum aerosanthum St.-Lag. 1880 ; *Epidendrum flos-aeris L. 1753; Limodorum flos-aeris Sw. 1799; Renanthera arachnites Lindley 1833; Renanthera flos-aeris Rchb.f 1858; Renanthera moschifera [Bl.] Hassk. 1848; In Rejang Land especially sumatera highland, people call this flowers as Anggrek Kalajengking in mean as scorpion orchid in english, some literatur say in other place call as spider orchid. In Curup Town, with lied abaut 700 - 800 metres from level sea, the orchid grow rapidly with good condition, even in wild rainforest of heart Sumatrahigland. In this area I have found two varian, one of them as u can see below. the other varian little bit more bigger than this one, and more dark brown color if we compare with this one. Now we compare with species from other area, let see below : This is from Philipines : This one below very rare is called as Arachnis flosaeris Insignis

Source : Photo : the Anggrek kala jengking species from Rejang Land on Pangsit Noni 21 Curup http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchidtalk/orchids-other-genera-bloom/10885-arachnis-flosaeris.html http://www.orchidspecies.com/arachflos-aeris.htm http://www.orchidsasia.com/arachnis.htm http://www.tropicalexotica.com/c1.htm http://rejang-lebong.blogspot.com/2008/07/3jpg.html

July 28, 2008