Illawarra rock orchid facts for kids

The Illawarra rock orchid (scientific name: Dendrobium epiphyticum) is a special type of orchid. It grows in New South Wales, Australia, and nowhere else in the world! This means it is "endemic" to that area.

This orchid is unique because it can grow in two ways:

• Epiphytic: It grows on other plants, like trees, but it doesn't harm them. It just uses them for support.
• Lithophytic: It can also grow on rocks.

The Illawarra rock orchid has thick, stem-like parts called "pseudobulbs." It also has strong, leathery leaves. When it blooms, it shows off many beautiful cream or pale yellow flowers. These flowers often have pretty reddish-purple marks on their "labellum," which is a special lip-like part of the flower.

What the Illawarra Rock Orchid Looks Like

The Illawarra rock orchid is a herb with roots that spread out. It has thick, green to yellowish "pseudobulbs." These pseudobulbs can be from 50 to 150 mm (about 2 to 6 inches) long. They are also 25 to 40 mm (about 1 to 1.5 inches) wide.

Each pseudobulb has three to five dark green leaves. These leaves are thick and feel like leather. They grow from the top of the pseudobulb. The leaves are usually 80 to 160 mm (about 3 to 6 inches) long. They are also 30 to 60 mm (about 1 to 2 inches) wide.

The Flowers of the Orchid

This orchid produces many flowers, usually between twenty and fifty. They grow on a long stem that can be 250 to 450 mm (about 10 to 18 inches) long. The flowers are cream-coloured or pale yellow. Each flower is 30 to 40 mm (about 1 to 1.5 inches) long. They are also 40 to 50 mm (about 1.5 to 2 inches) wide.

Orchid flowers have special parts:

• Sepals: The top sepal is oblong. It is 25 to 35 mm (about 1 to 1.4 inches) long. The two side sepals are 20 to 25 mm (about 0.8 to 1 inch) long. They curve strongly and spread wide.
• Petals: The petals are thin and oblong. They are 22 to 30 mm (about 0.9 to 1.2 inches) long. They also have a gentle curve.
• Labellum: This is the orchid's "lip." It is cream-coloured with reddish-purple marks. It has three parts, called lobes. The side lobes stand up straight. The middle lobe has a rounded tip.

The Illawarra rock orchid usually blooms between September and November.

How the Illawarra Rock Orchid Got Its Name

The Illawarra rock orchid was officially described in 2006. Two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements, first studied it. They found a plant growing at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This plant came from a sample collected on Cambewarra Mountain.

They first named it Thelychiton epiphyticus. This description was published in a science journal called Australian Orchid Research. Later, in 2014, another scientist named Julian Shaw changed its name to Dendrobium epiphyticum.

The second part of its scientific name, epiphyticum, tells us something important. It comes from two Ancient Greek words:

• epi means "upon" or "over"
• phyton means "plant"

So, epiphyticum refers to how this orchid often grows "upon" other plants.

Where the Illawarra Rock Orchid Lives

The Illawarra rock orchid grows in moist forests and rainforests. You can sometimes find it on cliffs, especially near waterfalls. It lives in New South Wales, Australia. Its home range is between the towns of Robertson and Cambewarra.