Phalaenopsis: A Monograph by Eric A. Christenson, published in 2001 by Timber Press will assist you in becoming a successful grower of these lovely plants. Christenson's credentials include a position as a research taxonomist and thirty years of interest in Phalaenopsis. This book is sponsored by the International Phalaenopsis Alliance.
Phalaenopsis were first introduced to Europeans early in the 1800s. They were considered curiosities, according to Chapter 1: History, until techniques for propagating these plants were developed in the 20th century. After World War II, these new techniques brought the price of orchids within the range of the general hobbyist. Christenson presents a timeline of events relating to this genus beginning with its first discovery and naming by Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist and ending with the taxonomy revision of the genus presented in this monograph. I was surprised to learn that very little is known about the natural habitats of Phalaenopsis. The little information available about their ecology and distribution is presented in Chapter 2.
Morphology of Phalaenopsis is described in Chapter 3. Here you will find detailed descriptions of the overall plant. The author spends time describing the different types of roots these plants have. Then he proceeds to discuss leaves, inflorescences (flower stalk), flowers, and fruits (seed pods) in equal detail. He ends this chapter by discussing chromosome counts. The next chapter, 4, presents Christenson's taxonomy of Phalaenopsis species. He also explains why his scheme differs from earlier researchers. Frankly, this chapter went way beyond my capacity to understand the details presented. However, botanists and taxonomists will find the information valuable.
Each of the subgenera and sections are discussed in Chapters 5 through 9. Within these chapters you will find a description for each of the known Phalaenopsis species. Each description includes information on who named the species, the date it was discovered, and where the name was first published. Very detailed descriptions of leaves, inflorescences, and flowers are given. Distribution information is also provided. Either the professional botanist or the avid hobbyist can understand these chapters.
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