Dendrobium cacatua M.A.Clem. & D.L. Jones 1989 SECTION Dendrocoryne Photo by © Lourens Grobler
Flower Closeup Photo by © Eric Hunt and his Orchid Species Photo Website
to 
LATE 
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Common Name The Cockatoo Dendrobium - In Australia The Yellow Tree Spider Orchid
Flower Size 2.8" [7 cm]
This medium sized, warm to cool growing epiphytic or lithophytic species comes from Queensland Australia at elevations from sealevel to 1600 meters but most often above 900 meters where it is found low on trees and occasionally it can be found on rocks. Regular watering should be made in the summer through late autumn when a lessening of water and fertilizer should occur, but never allow the medium to dry out completely. Mounting is the prefered method of cultivation so as to accomodate the pendant growth habit. It has a greenish brown, pendant stem that is wiry basally and gradually becomes 4 angled and carries 2 to 4, dark green, ovate, thin leaves that blooms on a slender, axillary, 8" [20 cm] long, few [2 to 5] flowered, racemose inflorescence occuring in the winter and early spring with flowers that are quite fragrant.
Synonyms Dendrobium tetragonum var. cacatua (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) H.Mohr 1991; Dendrobium tetragonum Cunningham var gigantuem Leany 1934; Tetrabaculum cacatua (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 2002
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Schlechteriana Vol 2 No 1 1991 as D tetragona var cacatua; AOS Bulletin Vol 61 No 6/564 1992 photo fide; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Dendrobium and their Relatives Lavarack, Harris and Stocker 2000 as D tetragonum var cacatua photo fide; Flora's Orchids Nash & La Croix 2005 photo fide; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006 as D tetragonum var cacatua photo fide; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 as Tetrabaculum cacatua photo fide
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