Caladenia atrochila facts for kids

Caladenia atrochila is a special type of orchid plant. It is found only in Tasmania, an island state of Australia. This orchid grows on the ground and has a single, slightly hairy leaf. Its flowers are usually whitish or pinkish on the front, but yellowish-green on the back. The middle part of the flower, called the labellum, is cream-coloured and has dark red marks.

About the Black-Lip Spider Orchid

The Caladenia atrochila is a plant that grows from an underground part called a tuber. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, meaning it loses its leaf during certain times of the year. These orchids usually grow by themselves or in small, spread-out groups.

What the Plant Looks Like

The plant has one leaf that is about 5 to 12 centimetres (2 to 5 inches) long. This leaf is very narrow, less than 1 millimetre (0.04 inches) wide, and is a dull green colour with a few hairs.

The Flowers

The Caladenia atrochila usually has one or two flowers on a sturdy, hairy stem. This stem can be about 6 to 16 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) tall. Each flower is about 12 to 16 millimetres (0.5 to 0.6 inches) wide.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, stands upright. It is about 8 to 11 millimetres (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. The side sepals and the petals are shaped like a spear. They are about 7 to 13 millimetres (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long. These parts are whitish or pinkish on the front and yellowish-green on the back.

The most interesting part is the labellum, which is the orchid's "lip." It is cream-coloured with dark red lines. The labellum has three main parts, or lobes. The side lobes stand up and partly surround the central part of the flower, called the column. The middle lobe is a small, narrow triangle with two to four pairs of tiny teeth along its edges. In the centre of the labellum, there are two rows of yellow bumps called calli. These calli have dark red stalks.

The column is about 6 to 7 millimetres (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and curves forward. These orchids usually flower in November. Their flowers are only open for a day or two before they self-pollinate, meaning they pollinate themselves.

Naming the Orchid

The Caladenia atrochila was first officially described in 1998 by a botanist named David Jones. He published his description in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research. The first plant used to describe this species was found near the Arthur River in Tasmania.

The name atrochila comes from two old words. Ater is a Latin word meaning "black." Cheilos is an Ancient Greek word meaning "lip." So, atrochila means "black-lipped," which refers to the dark lines on the orchid's labellum.

Where It Lives

This specific type of caladenia orchid is only found in the thick forests of western Tasmania. It grows in areas close to the coast.