Liparis coelogynoides
Liparis coelogynoides, commonly known as the fairy sphinx orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to near-coastal eastern Australia. It is an epiphytic orchid with two leaves joined at the base and that grows in clumps. Greenish white or yellowish flowers are borne on an often hanging spike. It grows on trees and cliff faces usually on ranges near the coast of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. Description. "Liparis coelogynoides" is an epiphytic herb with oval to almost spherical pseudobulbs and wide. There are usually two linear to narrow egg-shaped , pale green, stalkless leaves, , wide and folded lengthwise. Between eight and twenty greenish white or yellowish flowers, long and wide are borne on an often hanging flowering stem long. The sepals are all free from each other, long, about wide and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are long and about wide. The labellum is wedge-shaped, bends downwards, long and wide with irregular teeth on the edge. Flowering occurs between November and March. Taxonomy and naming. The fairy sphinx orchid was first formally described in 1860 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name "Sturmia coelogynoides  and published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae". The description was based on a collection made by Ludwig Becker near the headwaters of the Clarence River. In 1873, George Bentham changed the name to "Liparis coelogynoides" and published the change in "Flora Australiensis". The specific epithet ("coelogynoides") refers to the similarity of this species to orchids in the genus "Coelogyne" - the ending "-oides" is a Latin suffix meaning "like", "resembling" or "having the form of". Distribution and habitat. "Liparis coelogynoides" is widespread and common, growing on trees and rocky escarpments in rainforest between the Bunya Mountains in Queensland and the  Hunter River in New South Wales.