Caladenia barbarossa

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Common dragon orchid
Caladenia barbarossa 02.jpg
Caladenia barbarossa growing near Williams
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. barbarossa
Binomial name
Caladenia barbarossa
Rchb.f. (1871)
Synonyms [1]

Drakonorchis barbarossa(Rchb.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Contents

Caladenia barbarossa, commonly known as the common dragon orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It can be distinguished by its distinctive labellum which is attractive to species of male thynnid wasps.

Caladenia barbarossa side view Caladenia barbarossa 01.jpg
Caladenia barbarossa side view

Description

Caladenia barbarossa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single hairy leaf, 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. In spring it produces one, rarely two flowers on the end of a stalk 100–300 mm (4–10 in) tall, each flower 25–40 mm (1–2 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide. The flowers are cream coloured to greenish-yellow with red markings. The dorsal sepal is erect, 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The lateral sepals spread apart below the flower and are 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) long, 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. The petals also spread widely, are slightly shorter and narrower than the sepals and have their tips rolled inwards. The labellum resembles the body of a wingless female thynnid wasp and is stiffly hinged to the column. The labellum has a dummy insect abdomen, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and curved with many maroon-coloured hairs and calli. The false head is blackish, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide with two large, thick calli about 2 mm (0.08 in) long on either side of the "head". [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia barbarossa was first described by Reichenbach in 1871 in Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde, from a specimen collected by James Drummond in 1843, near the Swan River. [4] [5] [6] In a review of the genus Caladenia in 2004, David Jones and Mark Clements proposed a name change to Drakonorchis barbarossa [7] but the change has not been widely adopted. The specific epithet was originally Barbarossa, indicating that the plant was named after Barbarossa, named thus for his red beard also. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The common dragon orchid is widespread and common, between Bindoon, Ravensthorpe and Esperance in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee biogeographic regions. It grows in sandy or clayey loams in moist situations in a wide range of habitats but especially in Casuarina thickets. [2] [3] [8]

Ecology

Common dragon orchid is pollinated by male thynnid wasps when they try to copulate with the flower. [3] A male Thynnoides bidens has been photographed on the labellum of a flower of this species. [9]

Conservation

Caladenia barbarossa is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [8]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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Caladenia drakeoides, commonly known as the hinged dragon orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and a single greenish-yellow and red flower with a hinged labellum resembling a female thynnid wasp.

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

Caladenia huegelii, commonly known as the grand 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 relatively large red, green and cream-coloured flowers which have "split-hairs" on the sides of the labellum.

Caladenia lindleyana, commonly known as the Lindley's spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow flowers tinged with red and with thin dark tips on the sepals. Very few plants of this species survive with only one plant, which has not been seen since 1997, protected in a reserve.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> eminens</i> Subspecies of orchid

Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens, commonly known as the stark white spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three large, bright white flowers with long, broad, spreading lateral sepals and petals, a relatively broad labellum with short, narrow teeth. It is a relatively common orchid found in a broad band, mainly between Tenterden and Jerramungup.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> rigidula</i> Subspecies of orchid

Caladenia longicauda subsp. rigidula, commonly known as the rigid white spider orchid or island white spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three large, mainly white flowers with relatively short lateral sepals and petals. It is similar to the reclining white spider orchid but that species has smaller, cream-coloured flowers.

Caladenia longicauda subsp. insularis, commonly known as the island white spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to four yellowish-white flowers with long, mostly spreading lateral sepals and petals. It is a relatively rare, self-pollinating subspecies and often flowers which are in bud, open and finished are seen on a single plant.

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

Caladenia multiclavia, commonly known as the lazy spider orchid is a species of orchid, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow, red and cream-coloured flowers resembling a reclining spider. Although it usually only has a single flower, it often grows in clumps of up to six plants.

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

Caladenia rigida, commonly known as the stiff spider orchid, or white spider-orchid 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 white flowers with dark glandular tips on the sepals and fine reddish-brown lines along the sepals and petals.

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

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.

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

Caladenia valida, commonly known as the robust spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single sparsely hairy leaf and up to three white to cream-coloured flowers which sometimes have red streaks. It is similar to Caladenia reticulata but is large and taller with more stiffly spreading lateral sepals and petals.

<i>Cyanicula gemmata</i> Species of orchid

Cyanicula gemmata, commonly known as the blue china orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a small, oval leaf and up to three intense blue to mauve flowers. It is the most common and widespread of the West Australian china orchids, sometimes appearing in large numbers after summer fires.

<i>Prasophyllum fimbria</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum fimbria, commonly known as the fringed leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall orchid with a single smooth, tube-shaped leaf and up to seventy greenish-brown flowers with a white and pink labellum.

Microtis brownii, commonly known as the sweet mignonette orchid or sweet onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty small, green and white scented flowers well-spaced along the flowering stem. It usually grows in swampy places, flowers more prolifically after summer fires and sometimes forms very large colonies.

References

  1. "Drakonorchis barbarossa". APNI. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 98. ISBN   978-1877069123.
  3. 1 2 3 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 183. ISBN   9780646562322.
  4. "Caladenia barbarossa". APNI. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 Reichenbash, Heinrich (1871). Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde. Hamburg: Hamburg. pp. 64–65. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  6. "Caladenia barbarossa Rchb. f. [family ORCHIDACEAE]". Global Plants.
  7. Hopper, Stephen D.; Brown, Andrew P. (29 April 2004). "Robert Brown's Caladenia revisited, including a revision of its sister genera Cyanicula, Ericksonella and Pheladenia (Caladeniinae: Orchidaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany. 17 (2): 171–240. doi:10.1071/sb03002.
  8. 1 2 "Caladenia crebra". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  9. Cingel, Nelis A. van der (2000). An atlas of orchid pollination : America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Rotterdam: Balkema. pp. 196–197. ISBN   978-9054104865.