Jardinerong Sunog (the Burnt Gardener)

Renanthera - those orchids that know only yellows, oranges, and, more prominently, megawatt reds. Among the red-flowered species, the one that is most often discussed is R. storiei ; rightfully so, because this species bear some of the most saturated reds anyone can ever see on any orchid, whether natural or man-made. However, less often given credit for is R. philippinensis - a smaller species, but equally capable of producing the most incandescent reds.  Renanthera philippinensis was originally described as a variety of R. storiei by both Oakes Ames and Eduardo Quisumbing in 1932. Five years later, Louis O. Williams elevated the taxon to species rank, saying "There is no doubt but that Renanthera philippinensis is quite distinct from Renanthera storiei Reichb.f. Ames and Quisumbing pointed out in the original description of R. storiei var. philippinensis that the type of their varietal concept differs radically from the species in its small stature, small leaves and flowers, ...

You'll often see species of Renanthera being referred to as 'Fire Orchid' but, let's be honest, there can be only one. And that one can only be Renanthera storiei . Other  Renanthera  species   also have red flowers, but none approaches the sheer flame-like effect that this species lends when in full bloom. Renanthera storiei  was described in 1880 by Heinrich Reichenbach f. from specimens cultivated by Stuart Low. You may see references saying that this plant was collected by James Storie, but that is erroneous; James Storie was honored in the naming of this species because he was the first to flower this species outside its land of origin, and not because he was the original collector.  Taken from the book Orchids at Kew (RBG Kew, 1992). The flowers of R. storiei are the largest in the genus, attaining a span of 5 to 6 cm from both petal tips and 7.5 cm from the dorsal sepal to the ends of the lateral sepals. Healthy specimens are c...

The genus Renanthera contains species with substantial stems that eventually clamber on surrounding vegetation and are not really suitable for those with limited spaces, which is a shame considering the color intensity of its flowers. The species with the largest flowers, R. storiei , also develop the longest stems; some years ago I saw what I thought were Arachnis until I caught a glimpse of the flowers. Some of the stems have reached the ends of their hosts' branches and have become pendent. I reckon that the stems may be around 10 meters in length. Most examples in cultivation are not that old to reach such dimensions, but you get the idea. The 'smaller' R. philippinensis  can become unmanageable unless you have a tree or a really tall pole where it can climb. I have one here that is already about 2 meters tall.  Renanthera monachica , our featured plant, is one of the smaller species, with stems that hardly reach 60 cm in length, and even so will take many years ...