collection of species of. more purely botanical interest—although many of these 
are very beautiful in their small way. 
The outstanding genus in North Queensland is the Dendrobium, and some of the 
species are as fine as any to be found elsewhere in the world. One 
of the best known is Dendrobium bigibbum (Lindley), which is found right 
through the Peninsula and in the islands of Torres Strait. It has stems about a 
foot long (rarely more than 15 inches) with a few lanceolate leaves at the top. 
Racemes bearing a number of symmetrical flowers grow from the upper nodes 
of the matured stems—the same stem often producing flowers for two or three 
years in succession. The blooms have a wide range of colour from a pure white 
to a very deep lilac-purple. Typical of the flower is the white or yellow crest 
on the disk of the labellum. Closely akin to D. bigibbum is D. Phalaenopsis (some- 
times regarded as a variety of D. bigibbum). In this species the stems are longer 
and often stouter, and the flowers are generally somewhat larger than those of the 
first-mentioned species. They range in shade from white to so deep a purple as 
to seem almost black in certain lights. These flowers last well, and are a useful 
orchid for table decoration or for wear. Its range is from north of Cairns right 
through the Peninsula. Dendrobium superbiens is another fine Dendrobium, 
usually regarded as a natural hybrid between D. Phalaenopsis and D. undulatum. 
This beautiful orchid has much the same range of colour as D. Phalaenopsis 
(though I have not seen or heard of a white variety of superbiens). Its sepals. 
and petals are narrower than those of D. Phalaenopsis, and are somewhat undulated 
and retroverted. The labellum is rather short and pointed. Dendrobium Goldiei 
is somewhat similar to superbiens, and the colour is a richer shade of purplish-red, 
while the lip is broader and rounded at the tip. Both swperbiens and Goldiei are 
found in the coastal scrubs from Cooktown north and through the Islands of 
the Straits. 
Dendrobium undulatum is found along the coast right from Lady Elliott Island 
in the south up to Cape York. It is a very variable orchid and ranges from a 
dark brown through a rich gold to a bright yellow, according to the variety. 
It is particularly notable for its twisted and contorted segments. The flowers 
are of good size and are borne prolifically on long racemes. It is a hardy orchid 
and grows well in a warm, sunny position. The bright yellow variety, 
Broomfieldii, is particularly attractive. Closely akin to D. undulatum are D. 
Johannis, with its smaller flowers with dark brown sepals and petals and yellow 
tip, and D. fuscum, a rather drab-coloured orchid found on Magnetic Island. 
D. Johannis is found north of Cooktown to Cape York. 
Perhaps the grandest of North Queensland Dendrobiums is D. Tofftii. This splen- 
did orchid is found in the far northern coastal scrubs chiefly in the Daintree River 
country. It has tall, stout pseudobulbs, dark brown in colour and prominently 
ribbed. Flowers are large, and are of the “Antelope” type of orchid. The sepals 
and petals are white, and the labellum a deep, rich purple, the side lobes and the 
throat being striated. Unfortunately, as well as being difficult to obtain, it is 
even more difficult to cultivate, and rarely flowers in “captivity.” Dendrobium 
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