Dendrobium monophyllum, commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley orchid,[1] is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has pale green to yellowish pseudobulbs with one or two leaves, and between five and twenty bell-shaped yellow flowers. It grows in rainforest in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.
Dendrobium monophyllum is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb that usually forms clumps. Its pseudobulbs are pale green to yellowish, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 in diameter and furrowed. The pseudobulb has one or two thin, bright green leaves NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide on the end. Between five and twenty resupinate, bell-shaped, yellow flowers NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide are borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are triangular, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 4sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The petals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The labellum is about 7sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, 5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and blunt with two ridges along its midline. Flowering occurs from August to December.[2] [3]
Dendrobium monophyllum was first formally described in 1859 by Ferdinand von Mueller from a specimen collected near Moreton Bay by William Hill. The description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.[4] [5] The specific epithet (monophyllum) is a Latinization of the ancient Greek word, derived from the ancient Greek words meaning "single" or "alone" and meaning "leaf".[6]
The lily-of-the-valley orchid grows on trees, rocks and cliffs and on well-lit upper branches of rainforest trees between the Atherton Tableland in Queensland and Grafton in New South Wales.