White caps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White caps |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
angustata
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| Synonyms | |
The white caps orchid, also known as Caladenia angustata, is a special type of flower. It grows only in Tasmania, an island state of Australia. This orchid has one fuzzy leaf and usually one or two flowers. These flowers are white or light pink. Their backs often have a reddish or greenish color. Some plant experts think Caladenia angustata is the same as another orchid, Caladenia gracilis.
What White Caps Look Like
The white caps orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also has an underground tuber, which is like a storage root. This orchid often grows in small groups.
Each plant has one narrow, fuzzy leaf. This leaf is about 60 to 100 millimeters (2.4 to 3.9 inches) long. It is also very thin, about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. The base of the leaf is usually reddish-purple.
One or two bright white or pinkish flowers grow on a stem. This stem can be 80 to 120 millimeters (3.1 to 4.7 inches) tall. Each flower is about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long and 20 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1.0 inches) wide. The back of the flower's sepals and petals has tiny reddish or greenish-brown spots.
The top sepal curves forward, making a hood over the flower's center part, called the column. The side sepals and petals are shaped a bit like spears. The bottom petal, called the labellum, is about 7 to 8 millimeters (0.28 to 0.31 inches) long. It is white with a curled-under tip. The sides of the labellum have small, narrow teeth with yellow tips. In the middle, there are four rows of white bumps, called calli, which have yellow or purplish tips.
White caps orchids bloom from October to November. This orchid looks a lot like C. gracilis. However, you can tell them apart by the white caps' very narrow leaf, different flower color, smaller calli, and thinner column.
Naming White Caps
The Caladenia angustata orchid was first officially described in 1810. This was done by a botanist named John Lindley. His description was published in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.
The second part of its scientific name, angustata, is a Latin word. It means "narrowed," which likely refers to its narrow leaf.
Some important plant gardens, like the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, consider Caladenia angustata to be the same as Caladenia gracilis. This means they think it's just a different form of that orchid. However, other experts in Australia list Caladenia longii as the same as C. angustata.
Where White Caps Live
White caps orchids grow in the northern parts of Tasmania. They like to live in forests on low hills. These forests usually have a lot of shrubs growing underneath the trees.
