Carousel spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carousel spider orchid |
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| Caladenia arenicola growing in Kings Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
arenicola
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The carousel spider orchid (Caladenia arenicola) is a special type of flower. It belongs to the orchid family. This orchid is found only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It has a single leaf that stands up straight and is a bit hairy. Its flowers are usually red, white, and green. They grow on a stem that can be up to 60 cm (about 2 feet) tall. You can often find this orchid growing in sandy soil under trees on the Swan Coastal Plain.
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About the Carousel Spider Orchid
The carousel spider orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it comes back every year. It also loses its leaves each year, like some trees. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a storage root.
What It Looks Like
Each orchid plant has one leaf. This leaf is hairy and stands up straight. It can be about 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) long. The leaf is also about 5 to 12 mm (0.2 to 0.5 inches) wide.
The flowers grow on a tall stem. This stem can be 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches) high. Each stem can have up to three flowers. Each flower is quite large, about 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches) long. They are also 6 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It stands up straight. The side parts, called lateral sepals, and the petals spread out wide. These parts have thin, scent-producing glands at their ends. The 'lip' of the flower, called the labellum, is more than 11 mm (0.4 inches) wide. It has long bumps, called calli, along its edges. There are also calli in the center, arranged in rows.
This orchid usually flowers between late August and October. After flowering, it forms a dry seed pod. This pod opens up to release many tiny seeds.
How It Got Its Name
The carousel spider orchid was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown, gave it its scientific name. They found a sample of the plant near Wanneroo in Western Australia.
The scientific name is Caladenia arenicola. The second part, arenicola, comes from two Latin words. Arena means "sand," and -cola means "dweller." So, arenicola means "sand dweller." This name makes sense because the orchid likes to grow in sandy soil.
Where It Lives
You can find the carousel spider orchid in Western Australia. It grows between Lancelin and Yarloop. It prefers sandy soil in different types of woodland areas. These woodlands often have Allocasuarina, Eucalyptus, or Banksia trees.
Protecting This Orchid
The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at this orchid. They have classified Caladenia arenicola as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the labellum (lip) of the flower.
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The whole carousel spider orchid plant.
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A side view of the flower.
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A wasp visiting the flower.
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