Caladenia longicauda | |
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Caladenia longicauda in John Forrest National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Caladenia |
Species: | C. longicauda |
Binomial name | |
Caladenia longicauda | |
Synonyms [1] | |
List
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Caladenia longicauda is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its large leaf and by its up to five large, white flowers which have drooping sepals and petals with long, thickish brown "tails".
Caladenia longicauda is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single hairy leaf, 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long and 5–20 mm (0.2–0.8 in) wide. Between July and early November it produces one to three (sometimes up to five) flowers on a stalk 170–600 mm (7–20 in) tall, each flower 50–180 mm (2–7 in) wide. The flowers are mostly white except for a few red markings and reddish stripes on the backs of the petals and sepals. The dorsal sepal is green, erect, 30–140 mm (1–6 in) long and 1.5–6 mm (0.06–0.2 in) wide with its edges slightly turned inwards. The lateral sepals are 30–150 mm (1–6 in) long, 2–10 mm (0.08–0.4 in) wide, spreading horizontally near their bases but then drooping. The petals are similar to the sepals but slightly shorter and narrower. The labellum is white, 7–28 mm (0.3–1 in) long, 6–18 mm (0.2–0.7 in) wide with erect to spreading teeth up to 10 mm (0.4 in) long along its sides. The middle part of the labellum has the longest teeth on its edge, the teeth red with hooked white tips. The front part of the labellum curves downwards, with the teeth becoming shorter. There are between four and eight rows of calli along the central part of the labellum, the calli pale to dark red and club-shaped. The fruit is a non-fleshy, dehiscent capsule containing a large number of seeds. [2] [3] [4]
Caladenia longicauda was first formally described by John Lindley in 1840 and the description was published in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony . [5] The specific epithet (longicauda) is derived from the Latin words longus meaning "long" and cauda meaning "tail". [6]
The names of fourteen subspecies of C. longicauda are accepted by the Australian Plant Census: [7]
Subspecies | Description | Distribution and habitat | Image |
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C. longicauda Lindl. subsp. longicauda | Lateral sepals 90–130 mm (3.5–5.1 in) long, labellum 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide | Woodland between Lancelin and Nannup [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. albella Hopper & A.P.Br. (small-lipped spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 60–110 mm (2.4–4.3 in) long, labellum 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide | Swampy areas between Eneabba and Gingin [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. australora Hopper & A.P.Br. (southern white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 70–90 mm (2.8–3.5 in) long, labellum 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) wide | Coastal areas between the Fitzgerald River National Park and Beaufort Inlet [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. borealis Hopper & A.P.Br. (daddy-long-legs spider orchid | Lateral sepals 70–100 mm (2.8–3.9 in) long, labellum 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide | Shrubland between Cataby and Kalbarri [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. calcigena Hopper & A.P.Br. (Coastal white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 70–140 mm (2.8–5.5 in) long, labellum 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide | Near-coastal areas between Bunbury and Dongara [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. clivicola Hopper & A.P.Br. (Hill's white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 90–140 mm (3.5–5.5 in) long, labellum 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide | Forests between North Dandalup and Collie and coastal heath near Dunsborough [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. crassa Hopper & A.P.Br. (Esperance white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 70–100 mm (2.8–3.9 in) long, labellum 12–18 mm (0.47–0.71 in) wide | Swampy places between Esperance and Israelite Bay [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. eminens (Domin) Hopper & A.P.Br. (stark white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 90–140 mm (3.5–5.5 in) long, labellum 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide | Widespread between Moore and Ravensthorpe [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. extrema A.P.Br. & G.Brockman | Lateral sepals 60–95 mm (2.4–3.7 in) long, labellum 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) wide | Winter-wet areas near Manjimup [4] [8] | |
C. longicauda subsp. insularis Hopper & A.P.Br. ex A.P.Br. & G.Brockman | Lateral sepals 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long, labellum 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide | Coastal heath near Esperance [4] [9] | |
C. longicauda subsp. merrittii Hopper & A.P.Br. (Merritt's white spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 110–170 mm (4.3–6.7 in) long, labellum 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) wide | Forest between Margaret River and Nannup [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. minima A.P.Br. & G.Brockman | Lateral sepals 60–80 mm (2.4–3.1 in) long, labellum 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide | Woodland or shrubland near Yuna [4] | |
Caladenia longicauda subsp. redacta Hopper & A.P.Br. (tangled spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 60–90 mm (2.4–3.5 in) long, labellum 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide | Woodland between Collie and Mount Barker [4] | |
C. longicauda subsp. rigidula Hopper & A.P.Br. (rigid spider orchid) | Lateral sepals 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long, labellum 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) wide [4] | On granite outcrops or near streams between Ravensthorpe and Balladonia | |
Caladenia longicauda grows in a wide range of habitats from the Kalbarri National Park on the west coast to Israelite Bay on the south coast. [2]
Most subspecies of C. longicauda are classified as "Not Threatened" but subspecies extrema and insularis are classified as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [10] [11] meaning that they are known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [12] Subspecies minima is classified as "Priority Two", meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [13]
Caladenia longicauda subspecies borealis, commonly known as daddy-long-legs 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 mostly white flowers with long, drooping sepals and petals.
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 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 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.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. calcigena, commonly known as the coastal white 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 four mostly white flowers. It grows in coastal sand on the west coast and is distinguished from other subspecies growing in the same area, by its longer sepals and petals, small, narrow labellum and by the arrangement of the calli on its labellum.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. clivicola, commonly known as the Darling Scarp white spider orchid, or hills white 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 mostly white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals, a relatively small, narrow labellum and narrow labellum teeth. It grows in a restricted area, mostly on the Darling Scarp.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa, commonly known as the Esperance white 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 mostly white flowers with long, broad, spreading lateral sepals and petals, a relatively broad labellum with short, narrow teeth. It grows on the south coast between Bremer Bay and the Cape Arid National Park.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens, commonly known as the stark white 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 large, bright white flowers with long, broad, spreading lateral sepals and petals, a relatively broad labellum with short, narrow teeth. It is a relatively common orchid found in a broad band, mainly between Tenterden and Jerramungup.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. longicauda, commonly known as the white 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 four, mostly white flowers with long drooping, thread-like ends on the sepals and petals. It grows in woodland and forest.
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.
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 longicauda subsp. merrittii, commonly known as Merritt's white 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 large, mainly white flowers with very long, drooping lateral sepals and petals, and a white broad labellum with relatively short labellum teeth. It is one of the largest spider orchids.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. redacta, commonly known as the tangled white 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 large, mainly white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals. It is most similar to subspecies eminems but has smaller flowers and shorter teeth on the side of the labellum.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. rigidula, commonly known as the rigid white spider orchid or island white 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 large, mainly white flowers with relatively short lateral sepals and petals. It is similar to the reclining white spider orchid but that species has smaller, cream-coloured flowers.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema, commonly known as the late white spider orchid or Seaton Ross 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 one or two mainly white flowers with long, mostly spreading lateral sepals and petals. It is a relatively rare orchid which is similar to the tangled white spider orchid but has larger flowers and a later flowering period.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. insularis, commonly known as the island white 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 four yellowish-white flowers with long, mostly spreading lateral sepals and petals. It is a relatively rare, self-pollinating subspecies and often flowers which are in bud, open and finished are seen on a single plant.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. minima, commonly known as the little white 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 mainly white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals. It is a relatively rare orchid which is similar to the daddy-long-legs spider orchid but has smaller flowers and a more easterly distribution.