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A fairly recent discovery from China, originally described as a new species (1996) but now treated as a subspecies of Vanda falcata. It is said to do best when mounted rather than potted
so that I what I am trying although my conditions can be rather dry. It differs from the typical Vanda falcata in having a shorter, straight spur that hangs down. The Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia says: "Found in Sichuan? China as a miniature to small sized, warm to cold growing epiphyte with a short stem enveloped by clasping leaf bases and carrying several, alternate, distichous, rigid, linear, slightly recurved, conduplicate below intothe clasping base leaves that blooms in the spring on an axillary, 3/8" [8 mm] long, racemose, densely few flowered inflorescence." Marni Turkel says: "The Species: A Chinese species first described in 1996 by Eric Christenson. Related to the well known Neofinetia falcata, this is not a frequently encountered species. It has been moved into Vanda, though I'm having trouble making the adjustment. Culture: I grow this with an intermediate to warm summer and a cool, drier winter. Unlike Neofinetia falcata this species does not do well potted in moss. I have grown them mounted and they have done well. In the summer the plants are watered daily and dry quickly. In the winter, the plants are grown brighter and get an occasional watering and misting in between waterings with cooler temperature." Wikipedia says: "Vanda falcata subsp. richardsiana is a subspecies of Vanda falcata. It is an epiphytic orchid native to North Chongqing, China." |
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| 4th June 2026 | ||