Eclecticus chungii O’Byrne 2009 is an epiphytic growing miniature orchid species, native to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The beautiful orchid flower get a size of just about 1 cm. Flowering season: Summer. The type specimen has been sold in a stall in Chatuchak Market, Bangkok, Thailand and was purchased as Phalaenopsis spec. The stall owner claimed, that he bought the plant from an itinerant Cambodian orchid collector, who collected the orchid from an area, where Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet. Botanist Peter O’Byrne described the new miniature orchid in the German Orchideen Journal in 2009 and named it in honour to Ian Chung from Woon Leng Orchid Nursery (Singapore), who provided the type specimen.

Primarily the miniature orchid has been very preliminary described by the Danish botanist Gunnar Seidenfaden (1908-2001) in 1995 as Ignota dubia.
Eclecticus orchids are close relatives to Phalaenopsis orchids and in cultivation, they should be treated like them.

Flower Photography © Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Eclecticus chungii O’Byrne 2009
Photographer: Kitisak “Nat” Jaidee