Caladenia alpina

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Mountain caladenia
Caladenia alpina.jpg
C. alpina in Mount Buffalo National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. alpina
Binomial name
Caladenia alpina
Synonyms [1]

Caladenia alpina, commonly known as the mountain caladenia, [2] is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to subalpine areas of south-eastern Australia and to New Zealand. It has a single fleshy leaf and a thin wiry flowering spike bearing two white flowers with red bars on the labellum. In New Zealand this orchid is sometimes known as Caladenia lyallii.

Contents

Description

Caladenia alpina is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, sparsely hairy, lance-shaped leaf, 9–28 cm (4–10 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The leaf is thick and fleshy and green to dark reddish-green. [2] [3] [4]

One to three flowers, usually two, are borne on a spike up to 30 cm (10 in) high and are about 40 mm (2 in) in diameter. The dorsal sepal is a broad egg shape 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and curves forward to form a hood over the column. The petals and lateral sepals are broad, 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long and are white and glabrous on the front and pinkish red to maroon with glandular hairs on the back. The labellum is about 9 mm (0.4 in) long when flattened, white with dark red to purple spots and lines with a wavy margin, a few short teeth and a pointed tip. There are four well-spaced rows of calli on the surface of the labellum. The calli are club-shaped, yellow or whitish becoming darker and shorter towards the tip of the labellum. The column is about 7 mm (0.3 in) long with broad wings and has red spots or streaks. [2] [3] [4]

Caladenia alpina - labelled image Caladenia alpina (labelled).jpg
Caladenia alpina - labelled image

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia alpina was first formally described by Richard Sanders Rogers in 1927 and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia . [1] [5] Rogers described the species from specimens collected on Mount Bogong and Mount Hotham in Victoria and from Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales. The specific epithet (alpina) is a Latin word meaning "of high mountains". [6]

In New Zealand the species is known as Caladenia lyallii although "some orchidologists" suggest that both C. lyallii and C. alpina occur in that country. The epithet (lyallii) honours the Scottish botanist David Lyall, who was a friend of Joseph Hooker. [4] Caladenia alpina is regarded as a synonym of Caladenia lyallii by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [7] Caladenia lyallii was first formally described by Joseph Dalton Hooker in Flora Novae-Zelandiae . [8] [9]

Distribution and habitat

Alpine caladenia usually grows in subalpine zones above 1,000 m (3,000 ft) in forest, Snow Gum woodland and herbfields or near ponds and bogs. In New South Wales it occurs on the Southern Tablelands south of the Brindabella Range and in Victoria on the Great Dividing Range and Grampians. In New Zealand, Caladenia lyallii occurs on both the North and South Islands as well as on Stewart Island. [2] [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Caladenia</i> Genus of orchids

Caladenia, commonly known as spider orchids, is a genus of 350 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Spider orchids are terrestrial herbs with a single hairy leaf and a hairy stem. The labellum is fringed or toothed in most species and there are small projections called calli on the labellum. The flowers have adaptations to attract particular species of insects for pollination. The genus is divided into three groups on the basis of flower shape, broadly, spider orchids, zebra orchids and cowslip orchids, although other common names are often used. Although they occur in other countries, most are Australian and 136 species occur in Western Australia, making it the most species-rich orchid genus in that state.

<i>Caladenia flava</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia flava, commonly known as cowslip orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively common orchid with a single, hairy leaf and up to three yellow flowers which often have red markings. In 2001 three subspecies were named and a fourth is recognised but not as yet formally described.

<i>Caladenia carnea</i> Species of orchid endemic to Australia

Caladenia carnea, commonly known as pink fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It has a single thin, green leaf and one to five white or pink flowers with red stripes and two rows of yellow-tipped "calli" on their labellum.

<i>Adenochilus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Adenochilus, commonly known as gnome orchids is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae, one endemic to New Zealand and the other to Australia. Both species have a long, horizontal, underground rhizome with a single leaf on the flowering stem and a single resupinate flower with its dorsal sepal forming a hood over the labellum and column.

<i>Calochilus paludosus</i> Species of orchid

Calochilus paludosus, commonly known as the red beard orchid or red beardie, is a species of orchid native to Australia and New Zealand. It has a single fleshy, light green leaf and up to nine greenish flowers with reddish stripes. The labellum has a dull red or coppery coloured beard and lacks the "eye" spots of other beard orchids.

<i>Caladenia fuscata</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia fuscata, commonly known as dusky fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a small ground orchid found in eucalyptus woodland and which flowers in September and October.

<i>Caladenia gracilis</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia gracilis, commonly known as musky caps or musky caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and up to six flowers which are dark-coloured on the back and white on the front, sometimes tinged with pink and with a strong musky or soapy odour. The species is also known as Caladenia moschata in Victoria.

<i>Caladenia alata</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia alata, commonly known as the fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is found in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It is a ground orchid with small, usually short-lived flowers, which have relatively stiffly held petals and sepals and reddish-purple bars on the labellum.

Caladenia audasii is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a rare ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single yellow flower.

<i>Caladenia aurantiaca</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia aurantiaca, commonly known as orangetip fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria, although it is also found on one Bass Strait island. It is a slender ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two short-lived, orange-tipped, white flowers on a thin, wiry spike.

<i>Caladenia cardiochila</i> Species of orchid endemic to Australia

Caladenia cardiochila, commonly known as thick-lipped spider-orchid, fleshy-lipped caladenia and heartlip spider-orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria and South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two yellowish-green, red-striped flowers on a thin, wiry stem.

<i>Caladenia congesta</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia congesta, commonly known as black-tongue caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf, and up to three bright pink flowers with the central part of the labellum completely covered with black calli. It is a widespread species but not common in any part of its range.

<i>Caladenia filamentosa</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia filamentosa, commonly known as daddy-long-legs, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to four, usually dark red flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals.

<i>Caladenia toxochila</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia toxochila, commonly known as the bow-lip spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf and one or two yellowish-green flowers with red stripes. It occurs in Victoria and South Australia and resembles the related Caladenia concinna from New South Wales.

<i>Glossodia minor</i> Species of orchid

Glossodia minor, commonly known as the small waxlip orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single very hairy leaf and one or two deep violet-blue flowers. It has been known as Glossodia minor since its description by the prolific Scottish botanist Robert Brown in 1810, but recent discoveries suggest its inclusion in the genus Caladenia. It is similar to Caladenia major but is smaller in all its parts.

<i>Genoplesium nudum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium nudum, commonly known as the tiny midge orchid in Australia or the red midge orchid in New Zealand, is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to forty small, reddish-purple or green and red flowers. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis nuda but Genoplesium nudum and Prasophyllum transversum are used by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.

<i>Genoplesium pumilum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium pumilum, commonly known as the green midge orchid in Australia, and the yellow gumland leek orchid in New Zealand is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty five green to yellowish-green flowers which sometimes have red markings. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis pumila.

Cyrtostylis oblonga, commonly known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single rounded leaf and a flowering stem with up to four pink or pinkish green flowers with a flat, oblong labellum.

Cyrtostylis rotundifolia, commonly known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single egg-shaped leaf and a flowering stem with up to four pink or pinkish green flowers with a flat, oblong labellum. It is very similar to Cyrtostylis oblonga and more investigation is required to determine if they are distinct from each other.

<i>Adenochilus gracilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Adenochilus gracilis is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has a long, thin underground rhizome, a single leaf on the flowering stem and a single white flower with glandular hairs on the outside. Its labellum has red to maroon bars and a central band of yellow calli, but is almost obscured by the dorsal sepal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia alpina". APNI. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Caladenia alpina". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney: plantNET. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Caladenia alpina". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Vicflora. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Caladenia lyallii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  5. Rogers, Richard Sanders (1927). "Contributions to the Orchidology of Australia". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 51: 12. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 82.
  7. "Caladenia alpina". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  8. "Caladenia lyallii". APNI. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  9. Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1853). The botany of the Antarctic voyage of H.M. discovery ships Erebus and Terror. II. Flora Novae-Zelandiae. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. p. 247. Retrieved 27 June 2018.