Thin pencil orchid, rat’s tail orchid, bridal veil orchid

This epiphyte or lithophyte grows in the rainforest verges and creek margins around Brisbane. When in flower, it is conspicuously covered in white flowers giving the common name of Bridal veil orchid.

The leaves are pendulous and un-grooved and grow to 60 cm long by 8 mm thick. The stems branch regularly zig-zagging at each branch giving this orchid a distinctive appearance even when not in flower. The flower is about 35 mm across and is cream with purple spotting or striations towards the centre. The labellum is strongly ruffled and curves strongly.

The only similar orchid is D. dolichoplylla which can be distinguished by its straight sparsely branched stems, its abundant aerial roots and it yellow flowers.