Discussion

Moth Orchids or Phalaenopsis (kochōran 胡蝶蘭)

The orchid family has roughly 28,000 species distributed among 763 genera. The Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchid is one such orchid genus and has about 70 member species. Phalaenopsis is sometimes called a Butterfly Orchid, but that name also applies to other orchid genus's. When applied to Phalaenopsis, it specifically refers to Phalaenopsis Aphrodite, shown below.

It is native to Philippine Islands, Sulu Archipelago, and Taiwan and was identified 1862.

Another variety of the Moth Orchid is the Phalaenopsis Japonica, shown below. It was just identified in 2014 and is found in southern Japan south through the Ryūkyū Island chain.

As can be seen, various varieties of Phalaenopsis can have quite different appearances. This photo of an entire plant is of another variety of Phalaenopsis.

All orchids are perennial herbs lacking a woody structure. Phalaenopsis are epiphytes; they grow on other plants, drawing moisture from the air, but are not parasites. Stems grow from a single bud and grow outward and blossom from the tip. The leaves are thick and have a leathery texture. Roots are long and thick. Phalaenopsis reproduce asexually by sprouting kaiki or baby plants from nodes on the stem of the mother plant.

Here are more Moth Orchids or Phalaenopsis.

Phalaenopsis shows up in ikebana arrangements.

Shikunshi Subjects

Orchids are one of the shikunshi (the four gentlemen) subjects, four sumi-e subjects long favored by Chinese and Japanese artists, partly because they are considered to be among the nobler plants. All the basic sumi strokes are needed to paint them. It is said that they are among the first subjects learned by sumi-e beginners but among the last mastered because of their potential for sophisticated expression. The shikunshi subjects also represent the four seasons, something important in Japanese culture. Orchids are spring flowers. Bamboo, chrysanthemums, and plums are summer, fall, and winter plants respectively.

The Orchids and Rock silk hanging scroll below is by Sakaki Hyakusen (1697 - 1752) who worked in the Nanga (southern school) style, originally made popular by Sesshū Tōyō (1420 - 1506) who studied in China.