Caladenia toxochila

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Bow-lip spider orchid
Caladenia toxochila.jpg
Caladenia toxochila growing near the Little Desert National Park
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:
C. toxochila
Binomial name
Caladenia toxochila
Synonyms [1]

Caladenia toxochila, commonly known as the bow-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, sparsely hairy leaf and one or two yellowish-green flowers with red stripes. It occurs in Victoria and South Australia and resembles the related Caladenia concinna from New South Wales.

Contents

Description

Caladenia toxochila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, sparsely hairy leaf, 50–120 mm long and 10–15 mm wide. One or two flowers 15–20 mm wide are borne on a spike 80–200 mm high. The sepals and petals are yellowish-green with central red stripes. The sepals have thin, club-like glandular tips, 1–7 mm long. The dorsal sepal is 15–25 mm long, 2–4 mm wide and curves forward. The lateral sepals have similar dimensions to the dorsal sepal and are nearly parallel to each other and turned downward, almost touching the ovary. The petals are 12–20 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide and also turn downwards near the ovary. The labellum is pale green, 10–12 mm long and wide and has a dark red tip. The labellum has many rounded teeth up to 1 mm long on its sides, the tip is curled under and there are four rows of crowded, fleshy, blackish, club-shaped calli up to 1 mm long, along its mid-line. Flowering occurs from August and September. [2] [3]

This species is similar to the related Caladenia concinna from New South Wales but differs from that species by in having darker-coloured flowers shorter labellum teeth and fewer calli rows than that species. [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia toxochila was first formally described by Ralph Tate in 1889 and the description was published in Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia . [1] [4] The specific epithet (toxochila) is derived from the Ancient Greek words toxon meaning "bow" [5] :809 and cheilos meaning "lip" [5] :200 referring to the bow-shaped labellum of this species. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The bow-lip spider orchid is found in scattered places in western Victoria and in south-eastern South Australia, growing in woodland and mallee with grasses and shrubs. [2] [3] [6]

Conservation

Caladenia toxochila is listed as "vulnerable" under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Caladenia carnea</i>

Caladenia carnea, commonly known as pink fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It has a single thin, green leaf and one to five white or pink flowers with red stripes and two rows of yellow-tipped "calli" on their labellum.

<i>Caladenia dilatata</i>

Caladenia dilatata, commonly known as the green-comb spider orchid and as koolin in indigenous language, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with reddish stripes and occurs in Victoria and Tasmania. It is similar to C. necrophylla which occurs in south-east South Australia and to C. concinna from southern New South Wales.

Caladenia amoena, commonly known as the charming spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae, and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in small groups, has a single dark green, hairy leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with red stripes. It is only known from a few sites and has been classified as Endangered.

<i>Caladenia ampla</i>

Caladenia ampla, commonly known as the dainty spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single flower which is sometimes yellowish-green flower with red stripes and sometimes entirely red.

<i>Caladenia cardiochila</i>

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 clarkiae</i>

Caladenia clarkiae, commonly known as pink caps, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows singly or in small groups in Victoria and New South Wales. It has a single leaf and usually one or two white to pale pink flowers with darker pink tips.

<i>Caladenia clavigera</i>

Caladenia clavigera, commonly known as plain-lip spider orchid or clubbed spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows as scattered individuals or in small colonies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. It has a single leaf and one or two small yellowish-green and red flowers.

Caladenia concinna, commonly known as the neat spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single greenish flower with red stripes on the petals and sepals.

Caladenia conferta, commonly known as the crowded spider orchid or coast spider-orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single yellowish-green flower with red markings on a wiry, hairy stalk.

<i>Caladenia fragrantissima</i>

Caladenia fragrantissima, commonly known as the scented 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 up to three creamy-white to yellowish-green flowers. It is possible that it is conspecific with Caladenia orientalis.

<i>Caladenia hildae</i>

Caladenia hildae, commonly known as golden caps, honey caladenia or honey hood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-east of mainland Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and up to four yellowish-brown to golden-brown flowers with darker tips on the sepals and petals.

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.

<i>Caladenia mentiens</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia oenochila</i>

Caladenia oenochila, commonly known as the red-lipped spider orchid, or wine-lipped spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and usually only one pale yellow-green flower with purple marks and a dark red labellum.

<i>Caladenia pachychila</i>

Caladenia pachychila, commonly known as the dwarf zebra orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow and red flowers with a red-striped labellum which has a dense cluster of deep purple calli in its centre. It is similar to the zabra orchid but has smaller flowers and the lateral sepals do not clasp the ovary.

<i>Caladenia prolata</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia tessellata</i>

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.

<i>Caladenia stricta</i>

Caladenia stricta, commonly known as the upright spider orchid or rigid-combed spider-orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and usually only one pale green flower with red lines along the sepals and petals.

<i>Caladenia tensa</i>

Caladenia tensa, commonly known as the rigid spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and one or two pale green flowers with red stripes. It is mainly only found in the Little Desert National Park in Victoria and in the far south-east of South Australia but there are four records from New South Wales.

<i>Caladenia villosissima</i>

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia toxochila". APNI. Retrieved 23 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. 96. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Jeanes, Jeff. "Caladenia toxochila". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 Tate, Ralph (1889). "Definitions of four new species of Australian plants". Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia. 12: 129–130. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  5. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  6. "Caladenia toxochila". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 23 March 2017.