Dendrobium speciosum J. E Smith 1805 SECTION Dendrocoryne
Another Angle Photos by Jay Pfahl ©
Yellow flower variety Photo courtesy of Jean Claude George ©
Plant and Flowers Photo courtesy of Guy Cantor ©.
to 
Common Name The Outstanding Dendrobium - Sydney Rock Orchid - Rock Lily
Flower Size to 3" [to 7.5 cm]
Found in New South Wales and Victoria Australia from the coastline to about 150 miles inland on rocks at the base of cliffs in open forests with good air movement as a small to medium sized, cool to hot growing lithophyte with swollen or clavate, several noded, slightly sulcate stems covered with sheathing bracts and carrying 2 to 5, towards the apex, ovate or oblong, thick, coriaceous, obtuse leaves. They bloom in the spring with fragrant flowers on an erect or pendant, to 18" [45 cm] long, many flowered raceme and need cool to warm conditions, and a drier winter rest with no water or fertilizer. The pleasingly fragrant flowers open in the daytime and close as the cooler evening temps take hold.
Synonyms Callista speciosa (Sm.) Kuntze 1891; Dendrobium speciosum subsp. capricornicum (Clemesha) D.P.Banks & Clemesha 1990; Dendrobium speciosum var. capricornicum Clemesha 1982; Dendrocoryne speciosum (Sm.) Brieger 1981; Thelychiton capricornicus (Clemesha) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 2002; Thelychiton speciosus (Sm.) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones 2002; Tropilis speciosa (Sm.) Butzin 1982
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 63 No 7 1994 photo; Orchid Species Culture; Dendrobium Bakers 1996; Orchid Australia Vol 11 No 3 1999 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 69 No 2 2000 photo; Orchids Australia Vol 13 No 2 2001; Australian Orchid Review Vol 66 No 5 2001 photo; Orchids Australia Vol 12 No 6 2000 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 67 No 1 2002 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 69 No 1 2004 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 69 No 3 2004 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 70 No 3 2005; Australian Orchid Review Vol 71 No 1 2006 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 71 No 5 2006 photo; The Dendrobiums H. P. Wood 2006; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 as Thelychiton capricornicus; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 as Thelychiton speciosus; Australian Orchid Review Vol 72 No 2 2007 photo
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
