The Cooktown Orchid: Named for the Town, Which Honors Captain Cook

The Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum) is the floral emblem of Queensland. Its name traces two steps:

1. Town of Cooktown (far north QLD) — established 1873 at the site where Captain James Cook beached HMS Endeavour for repairs (June–August 1770) after striking the Great Barrier Reef.
2. Orchid — first collected near the town; described 1880 by Robert FitzGerald. Named Dendrobium phalaenopsis var. bigibbum; later elevated to species D. bigibbum.

So…

Orchid → Town → Captain Cook. No person was named after the orchid; the orchid was named after the town named after Cook.

Bonus

Cooktown orchid appears on Queensland’s coat of arms (1977) and 1968 25¢ stamp.