Caladenia stellata

Starry spider orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Diurideae
Genus:	Caladenia
Species:	C. stellata
Binomial name
	Caladenia stellata; D.L.Jones [1]
Synonyms [1]
	Arachnorchis stellata(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones and M.A.Clem. ; Calonema stellatum(D.L.Jones) Szlach. ; Calonemorchis stellata(D.L.Jones) Szlach.;

Last updated July 30, 2020

Caladenia stellata, commonly known as the starry 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 usually only one greenish-cream flower with red markings.

Description

Caladenia stellata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. It has a single, dull green, hairy, linear leaf, 60–150 mm long and 5–10 mm wide with reddish-purple blotches near its base. Usually only one flower about 40 mm across is borne on a spike 120–300 mm tall. The flowers are greenish cream and the sepals have thick, dark red, club-like glandular tips 5–10 mm long. The dorsal sepal is erect, 25–40 mm long, 1–3 mm wide and curves gently forwards. The lateral sepals are 26–40 mm long and 2–4 mm wide and spread widely, curving slightly downwards. The petals are 20–30 mm long, about 2 mm wide and curve downwards. The labellum is 12–18 mm long, 7–13 mm wide, and greenish-cream with a dark red tip. The sides of the labellum turn upwards, the tip is curled under and there are six to eight short linear teeth on each side. There are four rows of dark red, club-shaped calli along the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from August to October.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia stellata was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.^[1] The specific epithet (stellata) is a Latin word meaning "starry",^[5] referring to the star-like spreading of the lateral sepals and petals.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

The starry spider orchid occurs in New South Wales south from Rankins Springs and in eastern South Australia where it grows usually grows in Callitris woodland.^[2]^[3]^[4] The South Australian plants may belong to a separate species.^[6]

Ecology

Males of the wasp species Phymatothynnus nitidus have been shown to be the pollinator of this orchid when they attempt to mate with the flower.^[7]

Related Research Articles

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.

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

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 longiclavata, commonly known as the clubbed spider orchid is a species of plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a widespread and common orchid with a single, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow, white and red flowers and which grows in the area between Perth and Albany.

Caladenia macroclavia, commonly known as the large-club spider orchid, or brown bayonets, 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 a single green to yellowish-green flower with dark red central stripes. It is a rare species and in 2006 the total population was estimated to be between 35 and 80 mature plants.

Caladenia necrophylla, commonly known as late green-comb spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with red lines along the sepals and petals. It is unusual in that the leaf has completely withered before the flower opens, and sometimes even before the flower spike appears.

Caladenia nothofageti, commonly known as beech caladenia or white fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has a single, sparsely hairy, long, thin leaf and one or two white flowers with greenish-white backs, on a thin stalk.

Caladenia oreophila is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and a single greenish-cream flower with pale red stripes a red labellum with a greenish-cream base.

Caladenia osmera is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two greenish-cream flowers with pink stripes and which has a sharp odour resembling burnt plastic.

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 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 richardsiorum, commonly known as the little dip spider orchid, Richards' spider orchid or robe spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and usually only one yellowish-green flower. It is similar to the endangered Mellblom's spider orchid but has a much larger leaf and the petals lack glandular tips.

Caladenia rigida, commonly known as the stiff spider orchid, or white spider-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 white flowers with dark glandular tips on the sepals and fine reddish-brown lines along the sepals and petals.

Caladenia septuosa, commonly known as the Koppio spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single erect, sparsely hairy leaf and usually only one greenish-cream flower with red stripes along the sepals and petals.

Caladenia tessellata, commonly known as the thick-lip 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 one or two yellowish-green flowers with dark red markings.

Caladenia uliginosa subsp. uliginosa, commonly known as the dainty spider orchid, or 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 four greenish-cream flowers which have a forward-projecting labellum with a dark red tip.

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.

Caladenia valida, commonly known as the robust spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single sparsely hairy leaf and up to three white to cream-coloured flowers which sometimes have red streaks. It is similar to Caladenia reticulata but is large and taller with more stiffly spreading lateral sepals and petals.

Caladenia villosissima, commonly known as the hairy spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single densely hairy leaf and a single pale green flower with red stripes along the sepals and petals. It is a poorly known species and there is insufficient information about its distribution and abundance to determine whether or not it is endangered.

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 woolcockiorum, commonly known as Woolcock's spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single, long, erect, hairy leaf and one or two cream-coloured to greenish-yellow flowers recognised by their long, drooping lateral sepals and petals with their ends having dark glandular tips and by the red-tipped labellum.

References

1 2 3 "Caladenia stellata". APNI. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
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. 76. ISBN 1877069124.
1 2 Bernhardt, Peter. "Caladenia stellata". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
1 2 3 Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 33–34.
↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 750.
↑ "It's Not Extinct at Ferris-McDonald After All". Native Orchid Society of South Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
↑ van der Cingel, Nelis A. (2001). An Atlas of Orchid Pollination - America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Rotterdam: A.A.Balkema. p. 199. ISBN 9054104864.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[APNI-1] 1 2 3 "Caladenia stellata". APNI. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

[Jones-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. 76. ISBN 1877069124.

[RBGS-3] 1 2 Bernhardt, Peter. "Caladenia stellata". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

[AOR-4] 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 33–34.

[RWB-5] Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 750.

[NOSSA-6] "It's Not Extinct at Ferris-McDonald After All". Native Orchid Society of South Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

[Cingel-7] van der Cingel, Nelis A. (2001). An Atlas of Orchid Pollination - America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Rotterdam: A.A.Balkema. p. 199. ISBN 9054104864.