Caladenia busselliana

Last updated

Bussell's spider orchid
Caladenia busselliana.jpg
Caladenia busselliana growing near Dunsborough
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. busselliana
Binomial name
Caladenia busselliana
Hopper & A.P.Br. [1]

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.

Contents

Caladenia busselliana habit Caladenia busselliana 01.jpg
Caladenia busselliana habit

Description

Caladenia busselliana is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf 20–30 cm (8–10 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. There are up to three pale yellow flowers on a stem 20–30 cm (8–10 in) high. The flowers are 6–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 5–8 cm (2–3 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals spread widely and the sepals are thickened. The labellum is pale yellow to white and lacks the red tip common to similar spider orchids. The sides of the labellum have narrow teeth or calli which have a "clubbed" end. There are four or more rows of red-tipped calli along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs between September and October and is followed by a non-fleshy, dehiscent capsule containing a large number of seeds. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia busselliana was first formally described by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown in 2001 from a specimen collected by Greg Bussell near Quindalup and the description was published in Nuytsia. [1] The specific epithet (busselliana) honours the collector of the type specimen. [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

Bussell's spider orchid grows in swampy jarrah forest and marri woodland, often with green kangaroo paw, ( Anigozanthos viridis ) and the more common swamp spider orchid ( Caladenia paludosa ). It is only known from two small areas near Vasse and Yallingup at the northern end of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge in the Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic region. [2] [3] [5] [6]

Conservation

Caladenia busselliana is classified as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and as "rare flora" under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 . Only about fifty specimens are known and there is a continuing decline in the quality of habitat and number of mature individuals. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Caladenia abbreviata</i> Species of orchid endemic to Western Australia

Caladenia abbreviata, commonly known as the coastal 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, hairy leaf and up to three pale, creamy-yellow flowers on a flowering stem up to 35 cm (10 in) high. Although the flowers have long, thread-like petals and sepals, they are shorter and darker than those of other spider orchids. It is a rare, relatively recently discovered species although often found near human activities.

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

Caladenia brevisura, commonly known as the short-sepalled spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common, small-flowered orchid with an erect, hairy leaf and a single greenish flower with red markings, on a flowering stem up to 25 cm (10 in) high. It is found between Ravensthorpe and Israelite Bay.

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

Caladenia brownii, commonly known as the karri spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has an erect, hairy leaf and up to three flowers which are a combination of red, green, white and yellow. It is found in the high rainfall forests and coastal heath of the far south-west corner of Western Australia and is the only caladenia to grow in karri forest.

Caladenia bryceana subsp. cracens, commonly known as the northern dwarf spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single spreading, hairy leaf and a single green to apricot-coloured flower. It is a small orchid and difficult to find, even when quite abundant in a particular location. It has a more northerly distribution than subspecies bryceana which grows closer to Albany.

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

Caladenia christineae, commonly known as Christine's 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, hairy leaf and up to four small, white to cream-coloured flowers. It is distinguished from similar spider orchids by its small, odourless flowers with their stiffly held sepals and petals.

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

Caladenia corynephora, commonly known as the club-lipped 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, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow and red flowers which have a labellum with a club-like tip. It is the only Western Australian caladenia with a clubbed labellum.

Caladenia cristata, commonly known as the crested clown orchid or crested spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and a greenish-yellow and red flower on an unusually tall spike, considering the small size of the flower. Since its discovery in 1923 and collections made in 1923 it was thought to be extinct, until rediscovered in 1986.

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

Caladenia cruscula, commonly known as the reclining spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and a single cream-coloured flower with a long red fringe on the sides of its labellum.

<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.

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

Caladenia denticulata subsp. denticulata, commonly known as the yellow 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, hairy leaf and one or two yellowish flowers which have a white labellum with pale red markings.

Caladenia dorrienii, commonly known as the Cossack spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and one, two or sometimes three small creamy-white flowers, usually with the lateral sepals and petals curving around the ovary and crossing each other. It is a rare orchid, only found in the extreme south-east of the state.

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

Caladenia doutchiae, commonly known as the purple-veined clown orchid or purple-veined spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and usually only one greenish-yellow and red flower with short, downswept petals, and lateral sepals that are broad at the base then narrow to a glandular tip.

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

Caladenia ensata, commonly known as the stumpy spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common orchid within its natural range and has a single, hairy leaf and up to three pale yellow and red flowers which have short but thick, fleshy glandular tips.

Caladenia fuscolutescens, commonly known as the ochre 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 brownish-yellow flowers with a pale yellow, red-striped labellum. It is most common in spring after bushfires in the previous summer.

Caladenia harringtoniae, commonly known as the pink 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 pale to deep pink flowers which have a cream-coloured labellum with a pink tip.

Caladenia heberleana, commonly known as Heberle's 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, white and pale yellow flowers which have a white, red-tipped labellum.

Caladenia hoffmanii, commonly known as Hoffman's 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 white flowers which have a greenish-yellow labellum with a red tip. It is distinguished from the Pingaring spider orchid by small differences in the labellum and more northerly distribution.

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

Caladenia horistes, commonly known as the cream 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, creamy-yellow flowers which have a red-striped labellum and long, dark, thread-like tips on the sepals and petals.

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

Caladenia swartsiorum, commonly known as the Island Point spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three pale greenish-yellow and white flowers and is only known from a small area near the Harvey Estuary.

Caladenia viridescens, commonly known as the Dunsborough spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three pale greenish-yellow flowers with faint red or pink markings.

References

  1. 1 2 "Caladenia busselliana". APNI. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dixon, Kingsley; French, Christopher; Brockman, Garry (2013). Field guide to the orchids of Western Australia : the definitive guide to the native orchids of Western Australia. Simon Nevill Publications. p. 100. ISBN   9780980348149.
  3. 1 2 3 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 126. ISBN   9780646562322.
  4. "Caladenia". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Patten, Julie; Webb, Andrew; Batty, Andrew. "Bussell's spider orchid (Caladenia busselliana) recovery plan" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Caladenia busselliana". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.