Vappodes phalaenopsis (Cooktown Orchid)

Cooktown orchids, the state floral emblem of Queensland (Australia)

Photograph by John Hill. License: Public Domain. (view image details)

Cooktown orchids and bud

Photograph by John E. Hill. Some rights reserved. (view image details)

COOKTOWN ORCHID FACTS

distribution map showing range of Vappodes phalaenopsis in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License

Common Name
Cooktown Orchid

Description
The Cooktown Orchid is the floral emblem of Queensland and one of the most ornamental of Australian orchids. It is an epiphyte growing on trunks and branches of trees. The flower clusters have up to ten flowers and grow on canes up to 4 cm long. Each flower is purple or lilac and about 6cm in diameter. This species was formerly known as Dendrobium bigibbum

Habitat
found in a variety of habitats including rainforest, open forest, coastal scrub

Distribution
found in far north Queensland

Growth Characteristics
Height: grows to about 80 cm

Classification

Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Genus:	Vappodes
Species:	phalaenopsis
Common Name:	Cooktown Orchid