Caladenia pusilla

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Tiny fingers
Caladenia pusilla.jpg
Caladenia pusilla in Langwarrin flora and fauna reserve
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:C. pusilla
Binomial name
Caladenia pusilla
Synonyms [1]

Petalochilus pusillus (W.M.Curtis) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Contents

Caladenia pusilla, commonly known as tiny fingers, [2] pygmy caladenia, [3] tiny caladenia [4] or pink fingers, [5] 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.

Orchidaceae family of plants

The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family.

In biogeography, a species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. The term is equivalent to the concept of native or autochthonous species. Every wild organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as indigenous. Outside this native range, a species may be introduced by human activity, either intentionally or unintentionally; it is then referred to as an introduced species within the regions where it was anthropogenically introduced.

Australia Country in Oceania

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country by total area. The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east. The population of 25 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia's capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. The country's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Description

Caladenia pusilla is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, sparsely hairy leaf, 30–60 mm (1–2 in) long, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide. A single flower 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 80–100 mm (3–4 in) wide is borne on a relatively thick spike 40–100 mm (2–4 in) tall. The flower is pink with a brownish-pink back and often a white centre. The dorsal sepal is erect at its base but curves forward and is 50–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are 50–70 mm (2–3 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and are partly joined to each other. The petals are 50–60 mm (2.0–2.4 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and spread widely. The labellum is white or pink with red bars and is 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and wide. The sides of the labellum sometimes have a few short teeth near the tip which curls under. There are two rows of stalked calli with yellow heads along the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to November but the flowers are only open for a day or two, sometimes barely open and are self-pollinating. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

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. 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 are plants that have no persistent woody stem above ground. The term is mainly applied to perennials, but in botany it may also refer to annuals or biennials, and include both forbs and graminoids.

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia pusilla was first formally described in 1980 by Winifred Curtis from a specimen found on King Island and the description was published in The Student's Flora of Tasmania. [1] The specific epithet (pusilla) is a Latin word meaning "very small", "little" or "pretty". [8]

King Island (Tasmania) island between Australia and Tasmania

King Island is an island in the Bass Strait, belonging to the Australian state of Tasmania. It is the largest of three islands known as the New Year Group, and the second-largest island in Bass Strait. The island's population at the 2016 census was 1,585 people, up from 1,566 in 2011. The local government area of the island is the King Island Council.

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.

Latin Indo-European language of the Italic family

Latin is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. The Latin alphabet is derived from the Etruscan and Greek alphabets, and ultimately from the Phoenician alphabet.

Distribution and habitat

This orchid is widespread but localised in Victoria where it usually grows in moist coastal heath, sometimes in forests further inland. It grows in similar habitats in New South Wales south from Wellington. South Australian examples are found in the south-eastern corner of that state, especially on the Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island and in Tasmania it grows in coastal areas, including on King and Flinders Islands. In New Zealand it grows in scrub on the North Island. [3] [4] [5] [6] [9]

Victoria (Australia) State in Australia

Victoria is a state in south-eastern Australia. Victoria is Australia's smallest mainland state and its second-most populous state overall, thus making it the most densely populated state overall. Most of its population lives concentrated in the area surrounding Port Phillip Bay, which includes the metropolitan area of its state capital and largest city, Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. Victoria is bordered by Bass Strait and Tasmania to the south, New South Wales to the north, the Tasman Sea to the east, and South Australia to the west.

New South Wales State of Australia

New South Wales is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Tasman Sea to the east. The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state. New South Wales' state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city. In March 2018, the population of New South Wales was over 7.9 million, making it Australia's most populous state. Just under two-thirds of the state's population, 5.1 million, live in the Greater Sydney area. Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen.

Wellington, New South Wales Town in New South Wales, Australia

Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia, located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. It is within the local government area of Dubbo Regional Council. The town is 362 kilometres (225 mi) from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway.

Conservation

Caladenia pusilla is listed as "rare" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . [9]

The Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, is an act of the Parliament of Tasmania that provides the statute relating to conservation of flora and fauna. Its long title is An Act to provide for the protection and management of threatened native flora and fauna and to enable and promote the conservation of native flora and fauna. It received the royal assent on 14 November 1995.

Related Research Articles

Caladenia tonellii, commonly known as robust fingers, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single, long, erect, hairy leaf and up to three bright pink flowers with brownish backs. It is a rare orchid which exists in low numbers.

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

Caladenia latifolia, commonly known as pink fairies is a species of orchid endemic to Australia and is common and widespread in the southern half of the continent and in Tasmania. It has a single, hairy leaf and up to four pink flowers. It is easily distinguished by its relatively large, green leaf, and pink flowers on an unusually tall spike.

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

Caladenia gracilis, commonly known as musky caps or musky caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and up to six flowers which are dark-coloured on the back and white on the front, sometimes tinged with pink and with a strong musky or soapy odour. The species is also known as Caladenia moschata in Victoria.

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 coactilis, commonly known as thick fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in loose groups and has a single hairy leaf and one or two flowers which are bright pink inside and brownish on the back.

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

Caladenia gladiolata, commonly known as small bayonet spider orchid, smelly socks or simply bayonet orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two yellowish or brownish flowers with red stripes and unusual tips on the sepals and petals.

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

Caladenia hillmanii, commonly known as purple-heart fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two bright pink flowers with a reddish-purple labellum with darker bars.

<i>Caladenia hirta</i> subsp. <i>hirta</i> subspecies of plant

Caladenia hirta subsp. hirta, commonly known as the sugar candy orchid or candy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and up to three creamy-white or pink flowers with brownish tips and a brown back.

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.

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

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 patersonii is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to Victoria and Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two creamy-white, yellowish or pink flowers.

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

Caladenia phaeoclavia, commonly known as the brown-clubbed spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single, hairy leaf and a single light to dark green flower with red stripes and thick, brownish club-like tips on the sepals.

Caladenia quadrifaria, commonly known as the large pink fingers orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf and up to three pale to bright pink flowers.

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

Caladenia prolata, commonly known as long-leaf fingers or white fingers is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two dull white flowers which are greenish with red stripes on the back.

Caladenia pumila, commonly known as the dwarf spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and a single white flower with pale pink stripes. Its short flowering stem distinguishes it from other Victorian spider orchids. After 1933 it was presumed extinct until two plants were discovered in 2009.

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

Caladenia rosella, commonly known as the rosella spider orchid 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 scented pink flower. Although it may have had a wider distribution in the past, the total number of plants in 2000 was estimated to be 120 in four populations in Victoria. There is a single record from New South Wales but the orchid is classified as "extinct" in that state.

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

Caladenia speciosa, commonly known as the sandplain white 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 relatively large white flowers tinged with pink and with a fringe of long teeth on the sides of the labellum.

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

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.

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

Caladenia versicolor, commonly known as the candy spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single, sparsely hairy leaf and one or two white, pink or purplish flowers. Only about one thousand plants in two populations have been recorded and the species has been declared as "vulnerable".

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

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia pusilla" . Retrieved 8 March 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. 40. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Jeanes, Jeffrey. "Caladenia pusilla". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Vicflora. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Bernhardt, Peter. "Caladenia pusilla". Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "Caladenia pusilla". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Caladenia pusilla". State Herbarium of South Australia: eflora SA. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. "Caladenia pusilla". Yarra Ranges Shire Council. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  8. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 644.
  9. 1 2 "Species management profile Caladenia pusilla". Government of Tasmania Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 8 March 2017.