Sarcochilus parviflorus, commonly known as the southern lawyer orchid[1] or green tree orchid,[2] is an epiphytic orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to eight rigid leaves and up to twelve small bright green to yellowish green flowers with reddish markings on the labellum.
Sarcochilus parviflorus is an epiphytic, rarely lithophytic orchid with sparsely branched stems NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long with between two and eight leaves. The leaves are dark green, rigid, egg-shaped to narrow oblong, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long wide. The flowering stems are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and bear between two and twelve bright green to yellowish green flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The sepal are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide whilst the petals are narrower. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide and greenish cream with reddish markings. The labellum has three lobes, the side lobes curving upwards near their tips and the middle lobe with a short tooth on its midline. Flowering occurs between June and January.
Sarcochilus parviflorus was first formally described in 1838 by John Lindley and the description was published in Edwards's Botanical Register.[3] [4] The specific epithet (parviflorus) is derived from the Latin words parvus meaning "little"[5] and flos meaning "flower".
The southern lawyer orchid grows on trees, rarely on rocks, in rainforest in coastal areas and nearby tablelands between Brisbane and Tathra.