Dendrobium finniganense
Dendrobium finniganense, commonly known as the Mount Finnigan cane orchid, is a species of terrestrial or lithophytic orchid endemic to a few mountain tops in far north Queensland, Australia. It has narrow, cylindrical pseudobulbs, each with up to three thin, dark green leaves and usually only one or two white to cream-coloured flowers with yellow and purple markings near the centre.
Description
Dendrobium finniganense is a terrestrial or lithophytic herb that has narrow, cylindrical pseudobulbs long and wide. The pseudobulbs are pale green to yellowish and have up to three thin, elliptic to lance-shaped leaves long and wide. The flowering stem emerges from the end of the pseudobulb and is long with one or two resupinate white to cream-coloured flowers with yellow and purple markings near the centre. The flowers are long and wide. The dorsal sepal is long, wide and the lateral sepals are a similar length but about twice as wide. The petals are long and wide. The labellum is white with reddish purple markings, about long and wide with three lobes. The side lobes are upright and triangular and the middle lobe is rounded with a central ridge and tangled hairs along its edges. Flowering occurs between November and January.
Taxonomy and naming
Dendrobium finniganense was first formally described in 1992 by David Jones and the description was published in Phytologia. The specific epithet is a reference to the type locality, Mount Finnigan.
The Mount Finnigan cane orchid grows in exposed places often between boulders or Lomandra tussocks near the summits of Mount Finnigan, Mount Pieter Botte and Thornton Peak.