Papilionanthe vandarum - Vanda-Like Butterfly Orchid

Vanda-Like Butterfly Orchid is a large sized, erect and pendant tree-dwelling orchid that forms large masses of branching, hanging, flexuous stems carrying erect, cylindrical, long-pointed leaves with the leaf bases being longitudinaly grooved. The plant blooms with a 1-3 flowered, 1 ft long inflorescence arising from the stem in between the leaf bases and carries 1-4 fragrant flowers. Flowers are 3.8-5 cm in diameter, white with a purple-flushed base to lip and spur. Flower-stalks are pink, 1.5-3.3 cm. Dorsal sepal is obovate-oblong, 2-3.6 × 0.8-1.5 cm, obtuse, margins wavy. Lateral sepals are similar, about 3 × 1 cm. Petals are subrhombic, 2-2.5 × 1.1-1.9 cm, reticulately veined, base twisted, margins wavy, tip blunt. Lip is 3-lobed, about 2.2 × 2.2 cm - lateral lobes are erect, unequally bifid, flexuous, narrowly ovate, sickle-shaped, about 9 × 3 mm, toothed on top margin. Mid-lobe is clawed, obovate, dilated and bilobulate at tip, about 9 × 9 mm across. Vanda-Like Butterfly Orchid is found in Assam, eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanamar and S. China at elevations of 1200-1750 m.