Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema

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Late white spider orchid
Status DECF P1.svg
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
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:
Subspecies:
C. l. subsp. extrema
Trinomial name
Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema

Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema, commonly known as the late white spider orchid [1] or Seaton Ross spider orchid [2] 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 (subspecies redacta) but has larger flowers and a later flowering period.

Contents

Description

Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which usually grows as solitary plants. It has a single hairy leaf, 100–170 mm (4–7 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. One or two mostly white flowers 80–110 mm (3–4 in) long and 60–90 mm (2–4 in) wide are borne on a spike 160–300 mm (6–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is erect, 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are 60–95 mm (2–4 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and the petals are 55–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals are linear to lance-shaped in the lower quarter of their length, then suddenly taper to downcurved, narrow ends. The labellum is white, 16–21 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide with narrow teeth up to 5 mm (0.2 in) long on the sides. There are four or more rows of pale red calli up to 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from November to early December. This subspecies is most similar to subspecies redacta and their distributions sometimes overlap but has larger flowers with a larger labellum and a later flowering period. [1] [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

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 . [4] In 2001 Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown described eleven subspecies, then in 2015 Brown and Garry Brockman described three more, including subspecies extrema and the new descriptions were published in Nuytsia . The subspecies had previously been known as Caladenia longicauda subsp. 'Manjimup'. [5] The subspecies name (extrema) is a Latin word meaning “outermost", "farthest" or "last" [6] referring to the late flowering of this subspecies. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The late white spider orchid is only known from a small area near Manjimup in the Jarrah Forest biogeographic region where the type specimen was collected. It usually grows in areas that are swampy in winter. [1] [2] [3] [7]

Conservation

Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema is classified as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [7] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Caladenia longicauda</i>

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".

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> borealis</i>

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 longicauda subsp. albella, commonly known as the small-lipped 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 which have a pungent smell. It usually grows in seasonal swamps between Eneabba and Gingin.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> australora</i>

Caladenia longicauda subsp. australora, commonly known as the southern 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, relatively small flowers. It grows in woodland and mallee on the south coast in and near the Fitzgerald River National Park.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> calcigena</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> clivicola</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> crassa</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> eminens</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> longicauda</i>

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. 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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> merrittii</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> redacta</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia longicauda <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> rigidula</i>

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. 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.

<i>Caladenia pendens <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> talbotii</i>

Caladenia pendens subsp. talbotii, commonly known as Talbot's 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 white, red and yellow flowers with long drooping petals and sepals and sometimes has a citrus-like scent.

Caladenia pholcoidea subsp. pholcoidea, commonly known as the Albany 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 pale yellow flowers with long drooping petals and lateral sepals.

Caladenia pholcoidea subsp. augustensis, commonly known as the Augustus spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to three mostly white flowers with long spreading petals and lateral sepals.

<i>Caladenia uliginosa <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> candicans</i>

Caladenia uliginosa subsp. candicans, commonly known as the northern darting 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 yellowish-cream flowers which have a forward-projecting labellum lacking the red tip of subspecies uliginosa.

<i>Caladenia uliginosa <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> patulens</i>

Caladenia uliginosa subsp. patulens, commonly known as the frail 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 greenish-cream flowers which have a forward-projecting, white labellum.

References

  1. 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. 90. ISBN   9780980296457.
  2. 1 2 3 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 90. ISBN   9780646562322.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew P.; Brockman, Garry (2015). "New taxa of Caladenia (Orchidaceae) from south-west Western Australia". Nuytsia. 25: 103–104.
  4. "Caladenia longicauda". APNI. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  5. "Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema". APNI. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 312.
  7. 1 2 "Caladenia longicauda subsp. extrema". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  8. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 17 February 2017.