Caladenia conferta

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Coast spider orchid
Caladenia conferta.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. conferta
Binomial name
Caladenia conferta
Synonyms
  • Arachnorchis conferta(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Calonemorchis conferta(D.L.Jones) Szlach.

Caladenia conferta, commonly known as the crowded spider orchid [2] or coast spider-orchid, [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Caladenia conferta is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. It has a single, dull green, hairy, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaf, 5–9 cm (2–4 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide. [4] [3] [2]

Usually only one unscented flower is borne on a wiry, hairy spike, 12–25 cm (5–10 in) tall. The flowers are about 3.5 cm (1 in) across, yellowish-green with red stripes along the sepals and petals. The dorsal sepal is erect and curves forward, linear to lance-shaped, 18–26 mm (0.7–1 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and narrows to a glandular region 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. The lateral sepals are oblong to lance-shaped, curved like a sickle, 16–25 mm (0.6–1 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and have a glandular tip like that on the dorsal sepal. The petals are linear to lance-shaped, 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The lateral sepals and the petals spread widely. The labellum is heart-shaped, 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide and has three lobes. It is dark, yellowish-green with a dark maroon tip and the edges have irregular teeth. There are six crowded rows of calli along the centre of the labellum, decreasing in size towards the front. Flowering occurs from August to September. [4] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia conferta was first formally described by David L. Jones in 1991 and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. The type specimen was collected between Port Julia and Port Vincent. [1] The specific epithet (conferta) is a Latin word meaning "crowded", [5] referring to the crowded calli in the centre of the labellum. [4]

Distribution and habitat

This caladenia grows in mallee woodland. It is found in the Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula and South-East botanical regions of South Australia. [4] [6]

Conservation

Coloured spider-orchid is classified as "Endangered" in South Australia and under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The main threats to the species are grazing by native and feral animals, competition from weed species and habitat loss due to land clearing. [3] [7]

Related Research Articles

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 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 calcicola</i> Species of orchid

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.

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

Caladenia cardiochila, commonly known as thick-lipped spider-orchid, fleshy-lipped caladenia and heartlip spider-orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria and South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two yellowish-green, red-striped flowers on a thin, wiry stem.

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.

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

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 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.

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

Caladenia gladiolata, commonly known as small bayonet spider orchid, smelly socks or simply bayonet 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 yellowish or brownish flowers with red stripes and unusual 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 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 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.

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

Caladenia phaeoclavia, commonly known as the brown-clubbed spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single, hairy leaf and a single light to dark green flower with red stripes and thick, brownish club-like tips on the sepals.

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

Caladenia tessellata, commonly known as the thick-lip 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 one or two yellowish-green flowers with dark red markings.

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.

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 whiteheadii is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single pale yellow flower with thick reddish tips on the sepals and petals. It is only known from a single hill near Eugowra.

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 conferta". APNI. Retrieved 31 December 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. pp. 95–96. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Approved conservation advice for Caladenia conferta (Coast Spider Orchid)" (PDF). Government of Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 21–22.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 227.
  6. "Census of South Australian Plants". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  7. "Advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee) on Amendments to the list of Threatened Species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 31 December 2016.