Common name: king orchid, rock lily, tar-beri
Dendrobium speciosum var. hillii Mast. APNI* Synonyms: Dendrobium tarberi M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones APNI*
Thelychiton tarberi (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones APNI*
Dendrobium speciosum subsp. hillii (Mast.) D.P.Banks & Clemesha APNI*
Description: Epilith or epiphyte with stems erect to spreading, succulent, cylindrical, thickest just below the middle and tapering slightly towards each end, rooting only at base, 30–100 cm long, 20–40 mm diam., with 2–5 leaves at apex; roots smooth, some creeping but others growing upwards as 'basket roots'.
Leaves spreading to erect, elliptic to oblong, 18–25 cm long, 38–65 mm wide, conduplicate, thickly leathery, smooth.
Inflorescences 30–60 cm long, 90–200-flowered. Sepals and lateral petals white to cream; dorsal sepal 16–28 mm long, 3–5 mm wide; labellum white to cream, finely dotted and striped with dark purple, 8–10 mm long, 7–8 mm wide. Column 3–4 mm long; column foot 4–6 mm long.
Flowering: August–October
Distribution and occurrence: Grows on trees and rocks in rainforest and sclerophyll forest and in exposed situations; north from the Hawkesbury R.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by P. H. Weston
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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