Phalaenopsis mirabilis is a species of orchid native to Vietnam and Thailand. The specific epithet mirabilis means wonderful, marvelous, or extraordinary.
Description This species is a miniature, warm to cool-growing branch and canopy epiphyte. It has a short stem, which is enclosed in leaf sheaths. The leaves are oval-elliptic and unequally bilobed at the apex. 0.7 cm wide flowers arise from pendent to erect, 8-10 cm long, few to several flowered inflorescences. Flowering occurs from September to October.
Ecology This species occurs in primary and old secondary, dry, evergreen, broad-leaved, lowland and montane forests at elevations of 680-1300 m above sea level. It is commonly present along stream valleys.
Taxonomy Within the subgenus Parishianae it is placed in the same clade as species of section Aphyllae. It appears to be closely related to Phalaenopsis pulcherrima.Deng, H., Zhang, G. Q., Liu, Z. J., & Wang, Y. (2015). A new species and a new combination of Phalaenopsis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Aeridinae): evidence from morphological and DNA analysis. Phytotaxa, 238(3), 243-254. Two other analyses suggest a close relationship to Phalaenopsis deliciosa.Li, M. H., Gruss, O., & Liu, Z. J. (2016). Nomenclature changes in Phalaenopsis subgen. Hygrochilus (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae; Vandeae) based on DNA evidence. Phytotaxa, 275(1), 55-61.Hidayat, T., & Pancoro, A. (2019). Ulasan kajian filogenetika molekuler dan peranannya dalam menyediakan informasi dasar untuk meningkatkan kualitas sumber genetik anggrek.
Conservation It is very rare and has only been recorded in few locations. Its estimated IUCN conservation status is data deficient (DD).Averyanov, L. V., Truong, B. V., Maisak, T. V., Luu, H. T., Nguyen, K. S., Dinh, Q. D., ... & Le, H. S. (2018). New orchids (Orchidaceae: Cymbidieae and Vandeae) in the flora of Vietnam. Taiwania, 63(2), 119. International trade is regulated through the CITES appendix II regulations of international trade.
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