Dancing spider orchid
Caladenia discoidea growing near Bertram
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. discoidea
Binomial name
Caladenia discoidea
Lindl. (1840)

Caladenia discoidea, commonly known as the dancing spider orchid, antelope orchid or bee orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its horizontally arranged flowers and unusually short sepals and petals.

Description

Caladenia discoidea has a single leaf, 8–18 mm (0.3–0.7 in) long, about 8 mm (0.3 in) wide and hairy on both surfaces. The flower stem is 90–450 mm (4–20 in) long and bears 1 to 4 flowers, each 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) long and wide. The flowers are oriented horizontally, are yellow and green with red stripes, have very short petals and sepals and a rounded, fringed labellum with dark calli. Flowers appear between August and early October.[1][2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia discoidea was first described by John Lindley in 1840 in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[5][6] The specific epithet is "from the Latin discoideus (rounded blade and thickened margin), alluding to the rounded labellum shape".[2]

Distribution and habitat

The dancing spider orchid is widespread in the drier areas of the south-west between Kalbarri and Israelite Bay, growing in woodland, sometimes on the edges of salt lakes.[1][2] It occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions of Western Australia.[3][7]

Conservation

Caladenia discoidea is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[7]

Cultural reference

This species was featured on an Australian postage stamp in 2014.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 85. ISBN 9780646562322.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 100–101. ISBN 9780980296457.
  3. 1 2 Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 77. ISBN 0646402439.
  4. ↑ Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2002). Wildflowers of Southern Western Australia (Updated ed.). Noble Park Victoria: Five Mile Press. p. 144. ISBN 1875971491.
  5. ↑ "Caladenia discoidea". APNI. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Lindley, John (1840). A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. Piccadilly, London: James Ridgway. p. 52. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Caladenia discoidea Lindl". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. ↑ "Caladenia discoidea". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
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