Blotched cane orchid, yellow cane orchid

This common epiphyte and occasional lithophyte grows in rainforest areas around Brisbane.

The pseudobulbs grow to 90 cm by 10 mm with 3 to 6 apical leaves 13 cm by 4 cm. The flower stem grows to 12 cm with up to 30 flowers 15 mm across. The flowers are yellow blotched with red brown outside.

This distinctive species with its slender pseudobulbs and yellow cupped flowers cannot be confused with any other orchid with the exception of its hybrids Dendrobium x suffusum and Dendrobium x gracillimum.

Dendrobium x suffusum is a rare hybrid with Dendrobium kingianum and can be distiguished by its shorter pseudobulbs and outside markings usually pink rather than red brown.

Dendrobium x gracillimum is a hybrid with Dendrobium speciosum var. hillii and can be distinguished by its longer thicker pseudobulbs and larger more numerous flowers which are not blotched on the outside.