Caladenia huegelii

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Grand spider orchid
Caladenia huegelii - Grand Spider orchid (2680576997).jpg
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. huegelii
Binomial name
Caladenia huegelii
Synonyms [1]

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.

Contents

Description

Caladenia huegelii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, 100–180 mm (4–7 in) long and 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide. Up to three flowers 70–120 mm (3–5 in) long and 70–100 mm (3–4 in) wide are borne on a stalk 250–600 mm (10–20 in) tall. The flowers are pale greenish-yellow with red markings and the lateral sepals have light brown to yellow, club-like glandular tips. The dorsal sepal is erect, 45–120 mm (2–5 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide and the lateral sepals are nearly parallel to each other, 40–120 mm (2–5 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The petals are 130–60 mm (5–2 in) long, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide and sometimes curve downwards. The labellum is 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) long and 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) wide, greenish-cream with a red tip which is turned under. The sides of the labellum have many thin teeth up to 15 mm (0.6 in) long which are often split. There are four rows of dark red calli up to 2 mm (0.08 in) long, along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to late October. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia huegelii was first described in 1871 by Heinrich Reichenbach from a specimen collected near the Swan River and the description was published in Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde. [1] [6] The specific epithet (huegelii) honours Baron Charles von Hügel. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The grand spider orchid occurs between Perth and Capel in the Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions where it grows in deep sandy soil in woodland. [2] [3] [4] [7]

Ecology

Caladenia huegelii relies on a single species of mycorrhizal fungus for its germination and annual growth. Despite the selectivity of this, its field germination rates are comparable to other, more common co-occurring species of Caladenia. [8] [9]

Pollinators

Experiments in hand-pollinating the species have shown that fruiting is limited by pollen rather than resources. The only pollinators of the species are small males of the parasitic wasp species Macrothynnus insignis. [8] [10] These small wasps are only found in roughly 4% of the new or restored habitats proposed by the Australian government for the orchid's recovery. [8]

Conservation

Caladenia huegelii occurs in an area undergoing urbanisation and many populations of this once-common species have been lost. Of the 33 known populations containing about 1,500 plants, 85% of the plants are in four of these populations. Threats to the species include habitat loss due to urbanisation, weed invasion and disease caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi . The species is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [7] and it has also been listed as "Endangered" (EN) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). [5]

Related Research Articles

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

Caladenia saccharata, commonly known as sugar orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and a single flower with three white sepals and two similar petals.

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

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 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 dundasiae</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia dundasiae, commonly known as the Patricia's spider orchid and Dundas spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two, usually red flowers with thin, stiffly-held lateral sepals and petals.

Caladenia evanescens, commonly known as the semaphore spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area near Albany in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare species with a single, hairy leaf and one or two cream-coloured to greenish-cream flowers.

Caladenia graminifolia, commonly known as the grass-leafed spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single glabrous leaf and one or two short-lived, greenish-yellow and red flowers which have a narrow labellum with long teeth on its sides.

Caladenia graniticola, commonly known as the Pingaring 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 yellowish-green, red and white flowers which have a greenish-yellow and white labellum with a red tip. It was originally described as Caladenia hoffmanii subsp. graniticola but has a slightly different labellum and column.

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

Caladenia granitora, commonly known as the granite 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 yellowish-cream, white and red flowers which have a white labellum with a red tip.

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 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.

Caladenia interjacens, commonly known as the Walpole 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 pale pink and white flowers which lack the red tip on the labellum common to many other similar caladenias.

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 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 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.

<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.

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

Prasophyllum brownii, commonly known as the Christmas leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the last of the genus in Western Australia to flower and has a tall flowering stem with up to eighty pale green and fawn-coloured flowers.

Prasophyllum cucullatum, commonly known as the hooded leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to fifty or more purplish-red and white flowers with a frilled labellum crowded along a relatively short flowering stem.

Prasophyllum drummondii, commonly known as the swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a late-flowering species with a single tubular leaf and up to thirty brownish-orange or pale yellow flowers and often grows in standing water.

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

Prasophyllum hians, commonly known as the yawning leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common, tall leek orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to fifty or more pink and fawn flowers with a frilly 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. 1 2 3 "Caladenia huegelii". APNI. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  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. 82. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 103. ISBN   9780980296457.
  4. 1 2 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 132. ISBN   9780646562322.
  5. 1 2 Stack, Gillian; Brown, Andrew; Swarts, Nigel; Mitchell, David. "Grand Spider Orchid (Caladenia huegelii) recovery plan" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Reichenbach, Heinrich Gustav (1871). Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde. Hamburg: Th. G. Meissner. p. 66. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Caladenia huegelii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. 1 2 3 Phillips, Ryan D.; Peakall, Rod; Retter, Bryony A.; Montgomery, Kirke; Menz, Myles H. M.; Davis, Belinda J.; Hayes, Christine; Brown, Graham R.; Swarts, Nigel D.; Dixon, Kingsley W. (17 September 2015). "Pollinator rarity as a threat to a plant with a specialized pollination system: Rarity and specialized pollination systems". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 179 (3): 511–525. doi:10.1111/boj.12336.
  9. ↑ Swarts, Nigel D.; Sinclair, Elizabeth A.; Francis, Anthony; Dixon, Kingsley W. (7 July 2010). "Ecological specialization in mycorrhizal symbiosis leads to rarity in an endangered orchid: MYCORRHIZAL SPECIALIZATION IN CALADENIA". Molecular Ecology. 19 (15): 3226–3242. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04736.x.
  10. ↑ Platt, John R. (23 September 2015). "Sexually Deceptive Orchid Seeks Specialty Pollinator". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
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