Caladenia arenaria

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Sand-hill spider orchid
Caladenia arenaria.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. arenaria
Binomial name
Caladenia arenaria
Synonyms [1]
  • Caladenia patersonii var. arenaria(Fitzg.) Nicholls
  • Caladenia patersonii R.Br.
  • Arachnorchis arenaria(Fitzg.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Calonema arenarium(Fitzg.) Szlach.
  • Calonemorchis arenaria(Fitzg.) Szlach.

Caladenia arenaria, commonly known as the sand-hill spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a ground orchid with a single, densely hairy leaf and one or two white or pale yellow flowers with maroon tips. Formerly much more widespread, it is now only known from about two thousand individual plants in five locations in the Riverina area and is classed as "Endangered".

Contents

Description

Caladenia arenaria is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with a single underground tuber which is replaced annually. In late autumn or early winter a linear to narrow lance-shaped leaf is produced which is 15 cm (6 in) long, 6 mm (0.2 in) wide and reddish at the base. [2] [3] [4]

One or (rarely) two pale yellow to creamy-white flowers are borne on a hairy spike up to 40 cm (20 in) high. The dorsal sepal, lateral sepals and petals are up to 80 mm (3 in) long, held horizontally or slightly drooping and tapering to dark reddish, thread-like ends. The labellum is egg-shaped to heart-shaped, about 18 mm (0.7 in) long and 10 mm (0.4 in) wide with teeth up to 3 mm (0.1 in) but decreasing in size towards the front of the labellum. There are four to six rows of calli, shaped like golf stick heads on the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from late August to November. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia arenaria was first formally described by Robert FitzGerald in 1882 and the description was published in his book, Australian Orchids. [1] The specific epithet (arenaria) is a Latin word meaning "sandy". [5]

Distribution and habitat

Sand-hill spider orchid grows in sclerophyll forest and on sandhills, usually under cypress pine trees. Its range used to extend for 500 km (300 mi) from Deniliquin to Yass and Mudgee but is now only known from five locations between Urana and Narrandera.

Conservation

Caladenia arenaria is listed as "Endangered" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act and under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. Five populations with a total of about two thousand individual plants are known. Weeds, grazing and hybridisation with other orchid species are the main threats to the survival of this species.

Related Research Articles

Caladenia ambusta, commonly known as the Boranup spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, linear leaf and a single creamy-coloured flower on a stem 27–35 cm (11–14 in) high. It is only known from a relatively small area south-west of Margaret River growing in deep sand in shrubland and woodland and only flowering profusely after fire.

Caladenia amoena, commonly known as the charming spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae, and is endemic to Victoria. 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 anthracina, commonly known as the black-tipped 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 a single white or cream-coloured flower with red markings and black tips on the sepals and petals.

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.

<i>Caladenia busselliana</i> species of plant

Caladenia busselliana, commonly known as Bussell's spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with an erect, hairy leaf and up to three pale yellow flowers. Only about fifty specimens are known and it is threatened by habitat destruction and by too-frequent or too infrequent bushfires.

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 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 colorata, commonly known as coloured spider-orchid, small western spider-orchid and painted spider-orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia and possibly Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single creamy-green flower with blood-red or purple-brown markings and with dark tips on the petals and sepals.

<i>Caladenia concolor</i> species of plant

Caladenia concolor, commonly known as the crimson spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-east of Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf, and one or two hairy, dark purplish-red 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.

<i>Caladenia cruciformis</i> species of plant

Caladenia cruciformis, commonly known as the crucifix spider orchid, or red cross 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, sparsely hairy leaf and a single dark red to crimson flower with blackish tips.

Caladenia dienema, commonly known as the windswept 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 a single, variably-coloured, usually dark red flower on a thin, wiry stem 5–12 cm (2–5 in) high.

<i>Caladenia fulva</i> species of plant

Caladenia fulva, commonly known as the tawny spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area in Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two creamy-white to pale yellow flowers. Only two small populations are known, although both are in nature reserves.

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 pumila, commonly known as the dwarf spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and a single white flower with pale pink stripes. Its short flowering stem distinguishes it from other Victorian spider orchids. After 1933 it was presumed extinct until two plants were discovered in 2009.

Caladenia saggicola, commonly known as the sagg spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two white flowers with very pale reddish lines and black tips.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia arenaria". APNI. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 Bernhardt, Peter. "Caladenia arenaria". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney: plantNET. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Conservation Advice Caladenia arenaria" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment Threatened Species Scientific Committee. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Caladenia arenaria Recovery Plan" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 100.