What is "phaius"

n. an orchid of the genus Phaius having large plicate leaves and racemes of showy flowers

Phaius is a genus of large, mostly terrestrial orchids ( family Orchidaceae). The genus has about 43 species. These species are found in the tropical parts of the Old World: Africa (including Gabon, Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, etc.), Asia ( India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc.), New Guinea, Australia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. One species is also naturalized in Hawaii, Florida, and the Caribbean. The genus is abbreviated Phaius in trade journals.