Phaius tankervilleae (Banks ex L’Hér.) Blume

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘A most superb plant, native of the warmer parts of China, and requiring the heat of the stove.  It was introduced by Dr. Fothergill, about 1778. […] In the dreariest season, when all unprotected nature is shivering under ice and snow, how cheering is such a lovely flower!’  [LBC no.20/1817].  ‘The scape grows quite erect, sometimes three feet high, and the spike of flowers will extend to two feet.  The singular chesnut-brown [sic] colour of the inside of the petals, contrasted with the perfect white of their outsides, and the fine white nectarium shaded and streaked with crimson, give the flower a striking and beautiful appearance.’  [BM t.1924/1817].

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues under the name Bletia tankervilleae [O.2/1850].  We have insufficient information to determine if Macarthur actually grew Phaius tankervilleae or confused the Australian native species Phaius australis [which see] for this plant.  ‘This species [Phaius tancarvilliae], which is native to China, is regularly but wrongly recorded from Australia.  It is similar to P. australis but has a tightly inrolled labellum tube and an extremely short labellum midlobe.  [Jones].

Notes