Dendrobium clementsii

Dendrobium clementsii is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with aerial stems up to 1.0 m (3.3 ft) long. The pseudobulbs are dark green to yellowish and furrowed, decreasing in length and width along the stem from 300 mm (12 in) long and 5 mm (0.20 in) wide. Each pseudobulb has a single thin, leathery, dark green leaf 150–220 mm (5.9–8.7 in) long and 70–100 mm (2.8–3.9 in) wide on the end. Clusters of cream-coloured flowers, 14–20 mm (0.55–0.79 in) long and 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) wide are arranged at the base of the leaves. The sepals are lance-shaped, 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide and the petals are a similar length but only about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide. The labellum is purple, 13–15 mm (0.51–0.59 in) long, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide and has three lobes. The side lobes are about 8 mm (0.31 in) and have a short fringe. The middle lobe has spreading wavy, hairs about 5 mm (0.20 in) on its tip. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year and the flowers last less than a day.[2][3]

The Cape York crimp orchid was first formally described in 2004 by David Jones who gave it the name Flickingeria clementsii, published in The Orchadian.[4] In 2014, Julian Mark Hugh Shaw changed the name to Dendrobium clementsii.[5]

The Cape York crimp orchid grows on rocks and trees in rainforest on the Iron and McIlwraith Ranges on the Cape York Peninsula.[2][3]