Caladenia atroclavia

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Black-clubbed spider orchid
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. atrochila
Binomial name
Caladenia atrochila
Synonyms [1]

Arachnorchis atroclavia(D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Contents

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.

Description

Caladenia atroclavia is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single hairy leaf. The leaf is linear to lance-shaped, 8–12 cm (3–5 in) long, 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide and has irregular red blotches near its base. [2] [3]

There is usually only one flower on a wiry, hairy spike 25–35 cm (9.8–14 in) high. The flower is pale greenish-cream with red blotches on the petals and is reported to smell like an overheated electric motor. The dorsal sepal is erect, 38–45 mm (1–2 in) long, about 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) wide, linear to narrow lance-shaped near the base then narrowing to about 0.5 mm (0.02 in). The lower part of the dorsal sepal has a reddish stripe in its centre and ends with a thick, dark reddish-purple glandular tip. The lateral sepals are 39–45 mm (1.5–1.8 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, linear to lance-shaped and have a glandular end like the one on the dorsal sepal. The petals are 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide, linear to lance shaped with a red line along their centre. The petals and sepals spread widely near their bases but have drooping ends. The labellum is about 13–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide and narrow egg-shaped when flattened. It is green and erect in the lower part, then dark maroon and curved nearer the end. There are 6 to 8 linear-shaped teeth along the edges, the longest about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) but decreasing in size towards the end. There are four rows of dark maroon calli in the centre of the labellum, the longest ones flat-topped and 2.2 mm (0.09 in) long. The column is 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and curved with broad wings. Flowering occurs in October. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia atroclavia was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones and Mark Clements and the description was published in Austrobaileya. The type specimen was collected near Wyberba in the Darling Downs district. [5] [2] The specific epithet (atroclavia) refers to the prominent dark-coloured ends of the sepals. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This caladenia grows in well-drained gravel derived from granite in woodland and swampy areas. Only four populations with a total of about 70 plants are known, occurring in the Girraween National Park and in the Wyberba area. [3] [4]

Conservation

Caladenia atroclavia is classified as "Endangered" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. [3] [4] The main threat to its survival is the feral pig Sus scrofa .

Ecology

Research at the University of Southern Queensland has shown that the mycorrhizal fungus associated with this species of orchid belongs to the Sebacinaceae complex. [6]

Related Research Articles

Caladenia robinsonii, commonly known as the Frankston 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 one or two red and creamy-yellow flowers with dark red glandular tips on the sepals. In 2010 only about forty specimens of this plant, growing in a single population were known.

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

Caladenia dimidia, commonly known as the chameleon orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and one or two yellow, cream-coloured or pinkish flowers. It is a variable species, similar to the Joseph's spider orchid but has a more northerly distribution and smaller flowers.

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

Caladenia amoena, commonly known as 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.

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

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.

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

Caladenia clarkiae, commonly known as pink caps, 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 Victoria and New South Wales. It has a single leaf and usually one or two white to pale pink flowers with darker pink tips.

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

Caladenia clavigera, commonly known as plain-lip spider orchid or clubbed spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows as scattered individuals or in small colonies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. It has a single leaf and one or two small yellowish-green and red flowers.

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

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.

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

Caladenia decora, commonly known as the Esperance king spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three red, yellow and green flowers. It is a variable species, similar to the king spider orchid and sometimes hybridises with other species so that it can be difficult to recognise, but is one of the largest spider orchids found in Western Australia.

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 echidnachila</i> Species of orchid

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 flaccida, commonly known as the flaccid spider orchid, 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 three cream-coloured, pinkish or red flowers with long, thread-like, glandular tips 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 necrophylla, commonly known as late green-comb spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with red lines along the sepals and petals. It is unusual in that the leaf has completely withered before the flower opens, and sometimes even before the flower spike appears.

Caladenia armata is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the Australian Capital Territory. It has a single dull green leaf with purple blotches near the base, and a single cream-coloured to pink flower with red to maroon markings. It is only known from a single population containing fewer than ten plants.

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 ensigera is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two greenish cream to whitish green flowers and is only known from Alligator Gorge in the Mount Remarkable National Park.

Caladenia saxatilis 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 one or two pale creamy-green flowers, sometimes with thin reddish lines. It occurs in the southern Flinders Ranges.

Caladenia strigosa is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and a single greenish-cream flower with fine reddish streaks. It grows in sandy soil in shrubland.

Caladenia zephyra is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single, densely hairy leaf and a single cream-coloured to very pale yellow flower with blackish glandular hairs on the sepals and petals. It occurs on the Eyre Peninsula but may have a wider distribution.

Caladenia fuliginosa is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single relatively large, creamy-yellow flower, sometimes with reddish lines. The flowers have a smell resembling hot metal.

References

  1. 1 2 "Caladenia atrata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jones, David L.; Clements, Mark A. (1988). "New orchid taxa from south-eastern Queensland". Austrobaileya. 2 (5): 552–553.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Caladenia atroclavia" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Misiak, Weslawa; Bostock, Peter; Mayhew, Melissa. "Caladenia atroclavia". Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  5. "Caladenia atroclavia". APNI. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  6. Dearnaley, John D.W.; Murray, A.J.; Mathieson, M.T. (2009). "Molecular identification of a mycorrhizal Sebacinaceae from the endangered Caladenia atroclavia (black clubbed spider orchid)". Australian Mycologist. 28: 48–50.