As you can see from the pic of the tag, the original of this plant was collected
on Mt Tamborine (in the coastal mountains a little SW of Brisbane) by Hilda
Curtis in 1925.

At that stage of our native orchid classification there were numerous examples
of the same plant collected by different botanists in different parts of its
range and, quite independently, given different names. Also, same name given to
genuinely different orchids that seemed similar at the time. So reviews, such
as those I've bleated about at times, are indeed necessary.

I can't really sort out the history of the name D nitidum, but it's confusing.
It has been applied to a northern variety of speciosum; to a northern natural
hybrid, possibly speciosum var curvicaule x gracilicaule; to the SE Queensland
natural hybrid now known as x gracillimum (speciosum var hillii x gracilicaule)
to name a few. Then there's the new Jones species Thelychiton nitidum which he
names the "Atherton Cane Orchid".

Never the less, the general consensus is that this plant is in fact another D x
delicatum (speciosum var hillii x kingianum). There's certainly none of the
coloured blotching on the outside of the sepals that is characteristic of a
gracilicaule component (though the canes are long & skinny like gracilicaule -
much longer than any kingianums I've seen - but with a slightly swollen base as
might come from kingianum. And it definitely has the glorious kingianum
perfume.
Dave Gillingham
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