Bottlebrush orchid flowers (Dendrobium smilliae). This is a cluster of lots of small flowers, with many still closed. Each flower has a dark green pet

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Bottlebrush orchid flowers (Dendrobium smilliae). This is a cluster of lots of small flowers, with many still closed. Each flower has a dark green petal called the lip. This is a specialised petal that attracts pollinators. This orchid is found in north-eastern Australia and in New Guinea. It is an epiphytic orchid (it grows on trees). There are more than 30,000 species of orchids worldwide, many of which are grown as ornamental flowers.

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Size: 3434px × 5105px
Photo credit: © PAUL HARCOURT DAVIES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: australian, biological, biology, botanical, botany, bottlebrush, cluster, dendrobium, epiphyte, epiphytic, flower, flowering, flowers, guinea, multiple, nature, orchid, plant, raceme, reproduction, reproductive, smilliae, tropical