Hello all--
This Phalaenopsis was probably in perfect bloom for a Valentine's Day sale several years ago, in a beautiful display rack near the front of a megastore. But when I saw it a couple weeks after Valentine's Day, it had been moved from the front of the store to a high rack at a back corner of the store with other orchids that hadn't been bought, almost out of sight and out of reach, neglected and unwatered, leaves wrinkled, only a couple faded almost-dry blooms remaining.
The color and pattern of the blooms really struck me though. I had not seen that particular type of speckled pattern on any other Phalaenopsis. There are many white Phals with patterns of darker spots, but this was a deep purple red with a pattern of white spots.
I carefully nursed the plant back to health and this NoID plant has since become one of my favorite orchids. If anyone has seen another like it, or knows of photos of other Phals on the Internet that look like it, I'd love to know.
Steve