The development of a low pressure, horizontal MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) reactor has allowed us to study the effect of phosphine and trimethylindium molar fluxes on the epitaxial growth of InP. Study of the growth rate in the temperature range 550-620-degrees-C shows that the growth can be limited by the reaction kinetics at the surface. Epitaxial layers of good morphological quality have been obtained by reducing the rate of growth even if the growth is limited by the reaction kinetics at the surface. The variation of the electronic mobility with the PH3 molar flux reveals the existence of an optimum mobility region, even with a constant V : III ratio. Photoluminescence experiments carried out on the samples show the good crystallographic quality of the epitaxial layers. Spectra taken in the energy range 0.8-1.2 eV show the evolution of two structures at 0.91 and 1.08 eV that we associate with an antisite P(In) and a V(In) defect, respectively.