Lesser fingers | |
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Caladenia mentiens growing near Meredith, Victoria | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Caladenia |
Species: | C. mentiens |
Binomial name | |
Caladenia mentiens | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Petalochilus mentiens(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. Contents |
Caladenia mentiens, commonly known as lesser fingers, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia which grows singly, or in small, loose groups. It has a single, sparsely hairy, erect, linear leaf and a single whitish or pinkish coloured flower with a darker back and a cream-coloured labellum.
Caladenia mentiens is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, dark green, sparsely hairy, linear leaf, 30–900 mm (1–40 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. A single whitish or pinkish flower 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide is borne on a stalk 40–160 mm (2–6 in) tall. The backs of the sepals and petals are a darker pink colour. The dorsal sepal is erect, 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide and the lateral sepals are about the same length but slightly wider. The petals are 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals are held close to horizontally. The labellum is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and wide and is cream-coloured with red cross-bars and a yellowish tip. The sides of the labellum have a few short teeth near the tip and there are two short rows of yellow calli with red stalks in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to November. The flowers are self-pollinating and only open for a short period, sometimes not at all. [2] [3] [4]
Caladenia mentiens was first described in 1998 by David Jones from a specimen collected in the Carr Villa Flora Reserve in Launceston and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [1] The specific epithet (mentiens) is a Latin word meaning "counterfeiting" or "imitating", referring to the similarity of this species to C. minor and C. pusilla . [4]
Lesser fingers occurs in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and on King Island and Flinders Island. It grows in dense forests near the coast in Tasmania and in forest and heath in Victoria. It is poorly known throughout its range, is easily overlooked and may be widespread. [2] [3] [4]
Caladenia dimidia, commonly known as the chameleon orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and one or two yellow, cream-coloured or pinkish flowers. It is a variable species, similar to the Joseph's spider orchid but has a more northerly distribution and smaller flowers.
Caladenia atrata, commonly known as dark caladenia is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with flowers that are bright white on the front, but densely covered with black glands on the back.
Caladenia atrochila is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and flowers that are whitish or pinkish on the front, but yellowish-green on the back and a cream-coloured labellum with dark red markings.
Caladenia brachyscapa is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to Victoria and possibly Clarke Island in Bass Strait. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a reddish-pink flower with thick, black, club-like swellings on the petals and sepals. Although formally described in 1988 living specimens have not been observed since 1979.
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.
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 cleistantha is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-east of Australia. It is a ground orchid which occurs as solitary plants and has a singly hairy leaf and one or two cleistogamous flowers..
Caladenia congesta, commonly known as black-tongue caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf, and up to three bright pink flowers with the central part of the labellum completely covered with black calli. It is a widespread species but not common in any part of its range.
Caladenia cracens, commonly known as the elegant 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 a single pale to dark pink or mauve flower on a thin, wiry stem 5–18 cm (2–7 in) high.
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.
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 flaccida, commonly known as the flaccid spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to three cream-coloured, pinkish or red flowers with long, thread-like, glandular tips on the sepals and petals.
Caladenia footeana, commonly known as the crimson 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, relatively small pinkish-red flowers with a white, red-striped labellum. Its relatively small size makes it hard to find in its surroundings.
Caladenia gardneri, commonly known as the cherry 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 pink, sweetly scented flowers with a dark pinkish-red labellum.
Caladenia horistes, commonly known as the cream 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, creamy-yellow flowers which have a red-striped labellum and long, dark, thread-like tips on the sepals and petals.
Caladenia pusilla, commonly known as tiny fingers, pygmy caladenia, tiny caladenia or pink fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to Australia and New Zealand. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, sparsely hairy leaf and a single pink flower with a brownish-pink back. The flowers are short-lived and self-pollinating.
Caladenia sylvicola, commonly known as forest fingers, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, sparsely hairy leaf and a single white flower with a greenish back.
Caladenia transitoria, commonly known as green caps, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single, long, erect, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow flowers with purplish backs.
Caladenia vulgaris, commonly known as summer fingers, or slender pink-fingers is a species of orchid endemic to southern Australia. It has a single, long, erect, hairy leaf and one or two pink or whitish flowers.
Caladenia xantha, commonly known as the primrose 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 yellow flowers with a cream-coloured, brown-striped labellum.