Charming spider orchid | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Caladenia |
Species: | C. amoena |
Binomial name | |
Caladenia amoena | |
Synonyms | |
Caladenia amoena, commonly known as the charming spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae, and is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in small groups, has a single dark green, hairy leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with red stripes. It is only known from a few sites and has been classified as Endangered.
Caladenia amoena is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, densely hairy, lance-shaped leaf, 3–8 cm (1–3 in) long and 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide which often has purplish blotches near its base. [3] [4]
A single flower (rarely two) is borne on a spike 5–12 cm (2–5 in) high. The dorsal sepal is erect, linear to narrow lance-shaped, 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. It is narrower near the end which terminates in a glandular structure about 2 mm (0.08 in) long. The lateral sepals are oblong to lance-shaped, 17–23 mm (0.7–0.9 in) long, about 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and end in a gland similar to the one on the dorsal sepal. The petals are 15–18 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long and taper to a point. The labellum is heart-shaped, curves forward, 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide when flattened. The labellum has three yellowish-green lobes, reddish in the central part, the middle lobe with about 7 pairs of broad teeth. The lateral lobes are also toothed near the mid-lobe. There are four rows of foot-shaped calli which are reddish and about 3 mm (0.1 in) at the back of the labellum, decreasing in size towards the front. The column is 8–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and has reddish markings. Flowering occurs from August to October. [3] [4]
Caladenia amoena is similar to C. concinna but has smaller flowers and somewhat drooping petals and sepals. [3]
Caladenia amoena was first formally described by David L. Jones in 1994 and the description was published in Muelleria . [1] The specific epithet (amoena) is a Latin word meaning "pleasant" or "delightful". [3] [5]
Charming spider orchid is only known from two sites, growing in grassy box–ironbark forest in south-central Victoria, on the northern outskirts of Melbourne. [3] [4] [6]
Only 45 Caladenia amoena plants were known in 2000 and the species is classified as "Endangered" by the Victorian government. It is also classed as "Endangered" (EN) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and a recovery plan has been prepared. [6]
Caladenia aestiva, commonly known as summer spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in small groups in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. It has one or two greenish-yellow to pale yellow flowers, often while the single, hairy leaf withers.
Caladenia ampla, commonly known as the dainty spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single flower which is sometimes yellowish-green flower with red stripes and sometimes entirely red.
Caladenia argocalla, commonly known as white beauty spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in loose groups and has a single, hairy leaf and one or two white to greenish-white flowers on a wiry, hairy stalk. The total population is thought to be between 2,000 and 4,500 and it is classed as an "Endangered" species.
Caladenia atroclavia, commonly known as the black-clubbed spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Queensland. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a pale greenish-cream coloured flower with dark purple clubs and red patches on the petals.
Caladenia brumalis, commonly known as winter spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It has an erect, hairy leaf and usually a single white to pinkish flower with darker markings. It is only found in a few places due to habitat loss and is considered to be vulnerable.
Caladenia calcicola, commonly known as the Bats Ridges spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area near the Victoria - South Australia border. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two glossy, pale yellow flowers with maroon markings.
Caladenia campbellii, commonly known as thickstem fairy fingers or thick-stem caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf and one or two flowers that are pinkish on the outside and cream-coloured on the inside. The flowers are self-pollinating and short-lived.
Caladenia caudata, commonly known as tailed spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to four red, or yellow and red flowers with dark red to almost black tips.
Caladenia cleistantha is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-east of Australia. It is a ground orchid which occurs as solitary plants and has a singly hairy leaf and one or two cleistogamous flowers..
Caladenia conferta, commonly known as the crowded spider orchid or coast spider-orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single yellowish-green flower with red markings on a wiry, hairy stalk.
Caladenia cremna, commonly known as Don's spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area in Victoria. It is a rare ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single yellow flower with red striations.
Caladenia cretacea, commonly known as Stuart Mill spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area in Victoria. It is a rare ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two white flowers on a hairy stalk.
Caladenia echidnachila, commonly known as the fawn spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single, hairy leaf and one or two fawn-coloured flowers with thin red lines on the sepals and petals.
Caladenia helvina, commonly known as the summer spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and usually a single greenish-yellow to pale yellow flower with reddish teeth on the sides of the labellum and reddish calli along its mid-line.
Caladenia leptochila subsp. dentata, commonly known as the toothed spider orchid, narrow-lipped spider-orchid or narrow-lipped caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It has a single leaf and one or two mostly reddish-brown flowers. It differs from subspecies leptochila in the colour of its flowers, toothed edges to its labellum, and its distribution.
Caladenia macroclavia, commonly known as the large-club spider orchid, or brown bayonets, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single green to yellowish-green flower with dark red central stripes. It is a rare species and in 2006 the total population was estimated to be between 35 and 80 mature plants.
Caladenia richardsiorum, commonly known as the little dip spider orchid, Richards' spider orchid or robe spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and usually only one yellowish-green flower. It is similar to the endangered Mellblom's spider orchid but has a much larger leaf and the petals lack glandular tips.
Caladenia rosella, commonly known as the rosella 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 hairy leaf and a single scented pink flower. Although it may have had a wider distribution in the past, the total number of plants in 2000 was estimated to be 120 in four populations in Victoria. There is a single record from New South Wales but the orchid is classified as "extinct" in that state.
Caladenia branwhitei, commonly known as the Bethungra spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern New South Wales. It has a single dull green leaf and one or two, usually dark red to maroon-coloured flowers. It is only known from three areas near Bethungra where it grows in ironbark forest.
Caladenia cadyi is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south coast of New South Wales. It has a single dull green leaf with purple blotches near the base, and a single greenish cream to cream flower with pink to reddish markings. It was only known from a single population which has been bulldozed and replaced with a pine plantation so that it is now probably extinct.