Euanthe sanderiana
Encyclopedia
Euanthe sanderiana is a flower of the orchid family
. It is commonly called Waling-waling in the Philippines
and is also called Sander's Euanthe, after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander
, a noted orchidologist. The orchid is considered to be the "Queen of Philippine flowers" and is worshiped as a diwata
by the native Bagobo people.
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
originally named Euanthe sanderiana as Vanda sanderiana.
It has two forms, pink and white, also referred to as alba
. M. Roebelin discovered the original pink variety in the Philippines in 1881 or 1882. Rudolf Schlechter separated Euanthe from Vanda in 1914 due to structural differences in the flowers. For breeding purposes and registration by the Royal Horticultural Society
, however, it is still treated as a Vanda.
Euanthe sanderiana is endemic to Mindanao
in the provinces of Davao
, Cotabato
, and Zamboanga where it is found on the trunks of dipterocarp trees at elevations below 500 meters. Over-collected, the plant is considered rare in nature. It is often used in hybridization.
Studies have shown that when raised at high altitude
, the plant bears flowers early.
In 2004, there had been a motion in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
to declare the "Waling-waling" as the country's national flower, replacing the Sampaguita.
, states that the species has three varieties:
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
. It is commonly called Waling-waling in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and is also called Sander's Euanthe, after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander
Henry Frederick Conrad Sander
Henry Frederick Conrad Sander was a German-born orchidologist and nurseryman who settled in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England and is noted for his monthly publication on orchids, Reichenbachia, named in honour of Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach of Hamburg, the great orchidologist.In 1867 Sander...
, a noted orchidologist. The orchid is considered to be the "Queen of Philippine flowers" and is worshiped as a diwata
Diwata
In Philippine mythology, a Diwata , also known as Encantada, is a mythological figure similar to fairies or nymphs. They are nature spirits and live one with mother earth...
by the native Bagobo people.
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach was an ornithologist, botanist and the foremost German orchidologist of the 19th century...
originally named Euanthe sanderiana as Vanda sanderiana.
It has two forms, pink and white, also referred to as alba
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
. M. Roebelin discovered the original pink variety in the Philippines in 1881 or 1882. Rudolf Schlechter separated Euanthe from Vanda in 1914 due to structural differences in the flowers. For breeding purposes and registration by the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
, however, it is still treated as a Vanda.
Euanthe sanderiana is endemic to Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
in the provinces of Davao
Davao
Davao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
, Cotabato
Cotabato
Cotabato , is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao...
, and Zamboanga where it is found on the trunks of dipterocarp trees at elevations below 500 meters. Over-collected, the plant is considered rare in nature. It is often used in hybridization.
Studies have shown that when raised at high altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
, the plant bears flowers early.
In 2004, there had been a motion in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
to declare the "Waling-waling" as the country's national flower, replacing the Sampaguita.
Varieties
The Philippine Orchid Society, which incorporates an image of the flower in its logoLogo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
, states that the species has three varieties:
- Vanda sanderiana var. albata Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron. ser. 3.2 (1887) 9. Esmeralda Sanderiana var. albata Will
- Described by Heinrich Gustav ReichenbachHeinrich Gustav ReichenbachHeinrich Gustav Reichenbach was an ornithologist, botanist and the foremost German orchidologist of the 19th century...
in The Gardeners' ChronicleThe Gardeners' ChronicleThe Gardeners' Chronicle was a British horticulture periodical. It lasted as a title in its own right for nearly 150 years and is still extant as part of the magazine Horticulture Week....
in 1887, the plant's flower size is smaller than that of the species. Its lateral sepalSepalA sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s are yellowish-green with white margins. Its dorsal sepal and petalPetalPetals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s are white with purple spots at the base. The labellumLabellumLabellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
has purple dots. This plant was reported from Davao del SurDavao del SurDavao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Digos City. The province is bordered by Davao City to the north, and Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Sarangani to the west. To the east lies the Davao Gulf...
and South CotabatoSouth CotabatoSouth Cotabato is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Koronadal City, and it borders Sultan Kudarat to the north and west, Sarangani to the south and east, and Davao del Sur to the east...
on Mindanao Island where it grows as an epiphyteEpiphyteAn epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
at elevations to 500 meters. This variety is now extremely rare in its natural habitat.- Vanda sanderiana var. froebeliana cogn. in Dict. Icon. des. Orch.Vanda t. 12 a (1903)
- This variety has bright roseRose (color)Rose is the color halfway between red and magenta on the HSV color wheel, also known as the RGB color wheel, on which it is at hue angle of 330 degrees.Rose is one of the tertiary colors on the HSV color wheel...
flower stalks and has very large flowers compared to the species. The lateral sepals are bright yellow, with rose coloration towards the margins and densely covered with large purple reticulated veins. The dorsal sepal and petals are rose-colored on the upper half, while the lower half has brownish-purple spots.- Vanda sanderiana var. labello-viridi Linden & Rodigas in Lindenia 1:85, t (1885) 40. Esmeralda sanderiana var. labello-viridi Will
- This variety is similar to the species, with the exception that the lip or labellum is green with crimson stripes.