Caladenia echidnachila

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Fawn spider orchid
Caladenia echidnachila.jpg
Caladenia echidnachila growing near Hobart
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. echidnachila
Binomial name
Caladenia echidnachila
Synonyms [1]
  • Arachnorchis echidnachila(Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Calonemorchis echidnachila(Nicholls) Szlach.

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.

Contents

Description

Caladenia echidnachila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which grows singly or in loose groups. It has a single, hairy, narrow lance-shaped leaf, 7–14 cm (3–6 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The leaf is dull green and has purple blotches near its base. [2] [3] [4]

One or two fawn to tawny yellow-coloured flowers, 70–110 mm (3–4 in) across, are borne on a thin, wiry, hairy spike 15–40 cm (6–20 in) high. The petals and sepals have pale reddish lines along their length. The dorsal sepal is linear to oblong, 45–80 mm (2–3 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide but tapers to a thin, blackish glandular tip about one-quarter of its length from the base. The lateral sepals are similar in size and shape to the dorsal sepal but slightly wider, spreading stiffly and widely. The petals are 35–65 mm (1–3 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide and otherwise similar to the lateral sepals. The labellum is 13–19 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long, 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide, broad lance-shaped to egg-shaped when flattened, cream-coloured to yellowish with its tip strongly curved forwards. There are short, blunt teeth on the sides of the labellum, decreasing in size towards the front and four to six rows of dark red calli along its centre. Flowering occurs from September to November and is followed by fruit which is a papery, oval-shaped capsule, 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia echidnachila was first formally described by William Nicholls in 1933 and the description was published in Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania . [1] The specific epithet (echidnachila) is derived from the Ancient Greek words Ἕχιδνα echidna meaning "adder" or "viper", [5] :723 and χεῖλος cheilos meaning "lip" [5] :200 referring to the long tip of the labellum. [2]

There is disagreement as to whether this orchid is the same species as C. patersonii . [2] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Fawn spider orchid usually grows in coastal scrub and heath in southern areas of Tasmania. Summer fires appear to encourage flowering. [2] [4]

Related Research Articles

Caladenia ancylosa, commonly known as the Genoa 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 a single cream-coloured flower with red markings.

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 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.

Caladenia campbellii, commonly known as thickstem fairy fingers or thick-stem caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf and one or two flowers that are pinkish on the outside and cream-coloured on the inside. The flowers are self-pollinating and short-lived.

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

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 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 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 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.

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

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 curtisepala</i> species of plant

Caladenia curtisepala, commonly known as short-hooded fingers, 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 white to cream-coloured flower with a white labellum with red bands.

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 fragrantissima</i> species of plant

Caladenia fragrantissima, commonly known as the scented 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 up to three creamy-white to yellowish-green flowers. It is possible that it is conspecific with Caladenia orientalis.

Caladenia hastata, commonly known as Mellblom's 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 up to three white to cream-coloured flowers with red markings on the labellum.

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 leptoclavia, commonly known as the thin-clubbed 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 hairy leaf and a single pale cream-coloured to yellow flower with dark reddish stripes.

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 multiclavia</i> species of plant

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 orientalis</i> species of plant

Caladenia orientalis, commonly known as the eastern spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two creamy-white to yellowish-green flowers and which only grows near the Mornington Peninsula.

Caladenia patersonii is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to Victoria and Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two creamy-white, yellowish or pink flowers.

Caladenia flindersica 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 cream-coloured flowers with thin dark red to blackish tips on the petals and sepals. It is only known from Alligator Gorge in the Mount Remarkable National Park.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia echidnachila". APNI. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Jones, David L. (1998). "Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology (2): A taxonomic review of Caladenia R.Br. in Tasmania". Australian Orchid Research. 3: 30–31.
  3. 1 2 "Caladenia echidnachila". The Understorey Network. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 54. ISBN   1877069124.
  5. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  6. ↑ Jeanes, Jeff. "Caladenia patersonii". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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