Caladenia venusta

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Graceful spider orchid
Caladenia venusta.JPG
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:C. venusta
Binomial name
Caladenia venusta
Synonyms [1]

Arachnorchis venusta (G.W.Carr) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Contents

Caladenia venusta, commonly known as the graceful spider orchid, [2] large white spider orchid, [3] or simply white spider orchid [4] 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 white to cream-coloured flowers with drooping, brown, thread-like tips.

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.

Endemism ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location or habitat

Endemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution. An alternative term for a species that is endemic is precinctive, which applies to species that are restricted to a defined geographical area.

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 venusta is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single leaf, 100–180 mm long and 8–12 mm wide. One or two white to cream-coloured flowers 80–120 mm wide are borne on a spike 200–600 mm high. The sepals and petals have rather thick, brown thread-like tips. The dorsal sepal is erect, 60–100 mm long and 2–4 mm wide. The lateral sepals are 60–100 mm long, 4–8 mm wide, spread apart from each other and have drooping tips. The petals are 50–80 mm long, 3–6 mm wide and also have drooping tips. The labellum is white or cream-coloured with its tip rolled under and sides turned upwards. There are many thin, reddish teeth up to 3.5 mm long on the side of the labellum and four or six rows of narrow, reddish foot-shaped calli up to 2 mm long along its mid-line with the longest ones near its base. Flowering occurs from September to November. [2] [4]

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 venusta was first formally described in 1991 by Geoffrey Carr and the description was published in Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Miscellaneous Paper 1. [1] The specific epithet (venusta) is a Latin word meaning "lovely", "beautiful", "elegant" or "graceful". [5]

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

The graceful spider orchid is most common in Victoria but even in that state it is rare, usually occurring in coastal woodland but is also found in the Grampians. It has been found in the far south-east of South Australia and may occur on the south-west slopes of New South Wales. [3]

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.

Grampians National Park Protected area in Victoria, Australia

The Grampians National Park, commonly referred to as The Grampians, is a national park located in the Grampians region of Victoria, Australia. The 167,219-hectare (413,210-acre) national park is situated between Stawell and Horsham on the Western Highway and Dunkeld on the Glenelg Highway, 260 kilometres (160 mi) west of Melbourne and 460 kilometres (290 mi) east of Adelaide. Proclaimed as a national park on 1 July 1984, the park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia. The Grampians feature a striking series of sandstone mountain ranges.

South Australia State of Australia

South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, and fifth largest by population. It has a total of 1.7 million people, and its population is the second most highly centralised in Australia, after Western Australia, with more than 77 percent of South Australians living in the capital, Adelaide, or its environs. Other population centres in the state are relatively small; Mount Gambier, the second largest centre, has a population of 28,684.

Related Research Articles

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

Caladenia bicalliata subsp. bicalliata, commonly known as the limestone spider orchid or dwarf limestone spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to the south-west of Western Australia and coastal areas of South Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two cream-coloured flowers with reddish-brown tips.

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

Caladenia capillata, commonly known as white daddy long legs or wispy 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 cream-coloured to yellowish flowers with long, thread-like petals and sepals and a very small labellum.

Caladenia colorata, commonly known as coloured spider-orchid, small western spider-orchid and painted spider-orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia and possibly Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single creamy-green flower with blood-red or purple-brown markings and with dark tips on the petals and sepals.

Caladenia cretacea, commonly known as Stuart Mill 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 leaf and one or two white flowers on a hairy stalk.

Caladenia denticulata subsp. albicans, commonly known as the alabaster spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two pale creamy-white flowers which have a white labellum with red markings. The only known population occurs in a small area near Arrowsmith.

Caladenia denticulata subsp. rubella, commonly known as the clumped spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two dull or pinkish red flowers with prominent dull red markings and with a white labellum with red markings.

Caladenia erythronema, commonly known as the red thread spider orchid, and Nyabing 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 red, yellow or cream-coloured flowers with dangling, thread-like sepals and petals and a small labellum.

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

Caladenia excelsa, commonly known as the giant spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare species with a single, hairy leaf and up to three cream-coloured to greenish-cream flowers with long, drooping sepals and petals. It is one of the tallest spider orchids in Western Australia and, with Caladenia splendens, has the largest flowers of any Western Australian orchid.

Caladenia exilis subsp. exilis, commonly known as the salt lake spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively common spider orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three white to greenish-cream flowers with a small white, red-striped labellum.

Caladenia exilis subsp. vanleeuwenii, commonly known as the Moora spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively rare spider orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three variably-coloured flowers with a small white, red-striped labellum. It differes from subspecies exilis in having variably coloured flowers, different growth habit, earlier flowering and different habitat.

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 melanema, commonly known as the ballerina orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers with red markings and black tips on the sepals and petals.

Caladenia meridionalis, commonly known as the south coast spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an early-flowering orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals.

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.

Caladenia pendens subsp. pendens, commonly known as the pendant 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 relatively large, creamy-white flowers with long drooping petals and sepals and sometimes has a sickly-sweet scent.

<i>Caladenia pendens</i> subsp. <i>talbotii</i> subspecies of plant

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 perangusta, commonly known as the Boyup Brook spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare spider orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two cream-yellow or red flowers with narrow, drooping sepals and petals.

Caladenia saggicola, commonly known as the sagg spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two white flowers with very pale reddish lines and black tips.

Caladenia petrensis, commonly known as the rock spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three pale yellow flowers with drooping lateral sepals and petals.

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. 1 2 3 "Caladenia venusta" . Retrieved 26 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. 66. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 "Caladenia venusta". Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeffrey. "Caladenia venusta". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Vicflora. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 132.