Caladenia leucochila

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Caladenia leucochila
Status DECF R.svg
Declared rare  (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. leucochila
Binomial name
Caladenia leucochila

Caladenia leucochila is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and one or two pale yellow to greenish cream and white flowers with dull red stripes. it is a rare species, only known from near Collie.

Endemism Ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location or habitat

Endemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution. An alternative term for a species that is endemic is precinctive, which applies to species that are restricted to a defined geographical area.

Western Australia State in Australia

Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, and the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia's largest state, with a total land area of 2,529,875 square kilometres, and the second-largest country subdivision in the world, surpassed only by Russia's Sakha Republic. The state has about 2.6 million inhabitants – around 11 percent of the national total – of whom the vast majority live in the south-west corner, 79 per cent of the population living in the Perth area, leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated.

Collie, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Collie is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, 213 kilometres (132 mi) south of the state capital, Perth, and 59 kilometres (37 mi) inland from the regional city and port of Bunbury. It is near the junction of the Collie and Harris Rivers, in the middle of dense jarrah forest and the only coalfields in Western Australia. At the 2016 census, Collie had a population of 7,192.

Contents

Description

Caladenia leucochila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which grows as solitary plants. It has a single, erect leaf, 120–200 mm (5–8 in) long and 4–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide with reddish-purple blotches near its base. One or two pale yellow to greenish cream and white flowers with dull red stripes 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) in diameter are borne on a stalk 120–400 mm (5–20 in) tall. The sepals and petals are linear to lance-shaped for about half their length then suddenly narrow. The sepals, but usually not the petals, end with yellowish-brown, club-like glandular tips 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long. The dorsal sepal is erect but curves forward slightly, 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The lateral sepals are 35–40 mm (1–2 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and held close to horizontal, sometimes with a drooping tip. The petals are 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, held like the lateral sepals and usually lack club-like tips. The labellum is 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 7–9 mm (0.28–0.35 in) wide and white with the tip rolled under. The sides of the labellum have long, forward-facing white or red linear teeth decreasing in size towards the front of the labellum. There are four to six rows of yellow or red hockey stick-shaped calli up to 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long along the centre line of the labellum but decreasing in size towards the tip. Flowering occurs from September to October. [2]

Perennial plant Plant that lives for more than two years

A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. Some sources cite perennial plants being plants that live more than three years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widely used to distinguish plants with little or no woody growth from trees and shrubs, which are also technically perennials.

Deciduous Trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally

In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous (/dɪˈsɪdʒuəs/) means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, after flowering; and to the shedding of ripe fruit.

Herbaceous plant Plant which has no persistent woody stem above ground

Herbaceous plants in botany, frequently shortened to herbs, are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. Herb has other meanings in cooking, medicine, and other fields. Herbaceous plants are those plants that do not have woody stems, they include many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials, they include both forbs and graminoids.

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia leucochila was first described in 2001 by Andrew Brown, Ryan Phillips and Garry Brockman from a specimen collected near Collie and the description was published in Nuytsia . [1] The specific epithet (leucochila) is said to be derived from the Greek leuco- meaning "white" and chilus meaning "-lipped", referring to the white labellum. [2] In ancient Greek, chilus is not attested, while cheilos (χεῖλος) means 'lip'. [3]

Andrew Phillip Brown is a conservation biologist and taxonomist at the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation. He is also curator of Orchidaceae and Myoporaceae at the Western Australian Herbarium and a foundation member of the Australian Orchid Foundation and the Western Australia Native Orchid Study and Conservation Group. He is the author of more than 100 journal articles and seven books on the flora of Western Australia including a field guide to the eremophilas of that state.

Nuytsia is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Western Australian Herbarium. It publishes papers on systematic botany, giving preference to papers related to the flora of Western Australia. Nearly twenty percent of Western Australia's plant taxa have been published in Nuytsia. The journal was established in 1970 and has appeared irregularly since. The editor-in-chief is Kevin Thiele.

Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the results of this process. The starting point for modern botanical nomenclature is Linnaeus' Species Plantarum of 1753. Botanical nomenclature is governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), which replaces the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN). Fossil plants are also covered by the code of nomenclature.

Distribution and habitat

This caladenia is only known from the Collie district in the Jarrah Forest biogeographic region where it grows in sandy soil in open forest and scrub. [2] [4]

Jarrah Forest Australian bioregion located in South West Western Australia.

Jarrah Forest is an interim Australian bioregion located in Western Australia. The Jarrah Forest comprises reserves across the south-west corner of WA and is managed for uses including recreation. There are many small areas of parkland while larger protected areas include the Dryandra Woodland, Lane-Poole Reserve, and the Perup Forest Ecology Centre. Also managed for land uses such as water, timber and mineral production, recreation and conservation, the forest is recognised globally as a significant hotspot of plant biodiversity and endemism.

Conservation

Caladenia leucochila is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

The Declared Rare and Priority Flora List is the system by which Western Australia's conservation flora are given a priority. Developed by the Government of Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation, it is used extensively within the department, including the Western Australian Herbarium. The herbarium's journal, Nuytsia, which has published over a quarter of the state's conservation taxa, requires a conservation status to be included in all publications of new Western Australian taxa that appear to be rare or endangered.

Department of Parks and Wildlife (Western Australia) department of the Government of Western Australia

The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 and implementing the state's conservation and environment legislation and regulations. The minister responsible for the department was the Minister for the Environment.

Related Research Articles

Caladenia ambusta, commonly known as the Boranup 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, linear leaf and a single creamy-coloured flower on a stem 27–35 cm (11–14 in) high. It is only known from a relatively small area south-west of Margaret River growing in deep sand in shrubland and woodland and only flowering profusely after fire.

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

Caladenia attingens, commonly known as mantis orchids, are plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae and are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. There are three subspecies, each of which has a single hairy leaf and one or two brightly coloured flowers with upswept sepals and a labellum with long, comb-like fringes. The subspecies differ in size, distribution and habitat.

Caladenia bigeminata is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect leaf and one or two white flowers with red markings on a flowering stem up to 25 cm (10 in) tall.

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.

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

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 denticulata subsp. albicans, commonly known as the alabaster 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 pale creamy-white flowers which have a white labellum with red markings. The only known population occurs in a small area near Arrowsmith.

Caladenia denticulata subsp. rubella, commonly known as the clumped 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 dull or pinkish red flowers with prominent dull red markings and with a white labellum with red markings.

Caladenia erythronema, commonly known as the red thread spider orchid, and Nyabing 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 red, yellow or cream-coloured flowers with dangling, thread-like sepals and petals and a small 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.

Caladenia hopperiana is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and up to four creamy-yellow flowers with faint red markings.

<i>Caladenia attingens <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> attingens</i> subspecies of plant

Caladenia attingens subsp. attingens, commonly known as the forest mantis orchid or sneezing spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively common orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two green, yellow and red flowers. It is similar to the fringed mantis orchid but has smaller flowers and has a more southerly distribution.

<i>Caladenia attingens <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> gracillima</i> subspecies of plant

Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima, commonly known as the small mantis orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively common orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two green, yellow and red flowers. It differs from subspecies attingens in having smaller flowers and a more easterly distribution.

Caladenia attingens subsp. effusa, commonly known as granite mantis orchid, is a subspecies of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two green, yellow and red flowers. It differs from the other subspecies of Caladenia attingens in having smaller flowers with lateral sepals which are not upswept and a labellum which is less than 15 mm (0.6 in) wide.

Caladenia perangusta, commonly known as the Boyup Brook spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare spider orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two cream-yellow or red flowers with narrow, drooping sepals and petals.

Caladenia pluvialis, commonly known as the Yuna spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common spider orchid, especially after winter rains, occurring in a restricted area. It has a single hairy leaf and one or two creamy-coloured flowers. It was formerly included with Caladenia incensa.

Caladenia petrensis, commonly known as the rock 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 yellow flowers with drooping lateral sepals and petals.

Caladenia saxicola, commonly known as the banded ironstone 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 dull creamy-white to pale yellow flowers with spreading lateral sepals and petals.

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

Caladenia straminichila, commonly known as the Tenterden yellow spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two pale yellow flowers which have a red-striped labellum with short teeth on its sides.

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

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 validinervia, commonly known as the Lake Muir 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 greenish to creamy white flowers with red stripes on the sepals and petals. The flowers have relatively narrow sepals and petals and a relatively small labellum. It is a rare orchid only known from an area between Rocky Gully and Collie.

References

  1. 1 2 "Caladenia leucochila". APNI. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew P.; Brockman, Garry (2015). "New taxa of Caladenia (Orchidaceae) from south-west Western Australia". Nuytsia. 25: 83–86.
  3. ↑ Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie.Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  4. 1 2 "Caladenia leucochila". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
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