Black-clubbed spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-clubbed spider orchid |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
atrochila
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| Synonyms | |
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Arachnorchis atroclavia (D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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The Black-clubbed spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia atroclavia) is a special type of flower. It belongs to the orchid family and is only found in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. This orchid grows on the ground and has one fuzzy leaf. Its flower is a pale greenish-cream color, with cool dark purple tips that look like clubs and red spots on its petals.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Black-clubbed spider orchid is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous herb, which means its leaves fall off at certain times. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
Leaves and Flowers
Each plant has one hairy leaf. It's shaped like a long, narrow spear, about 8 to 12 centimeters (3 to 5 inches) long and 5 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. You might see some red blotches near the bottom of the leaf.
Usually, there's only one flower on a thin, hairy stem that stands about 25 to 35 centimeters (10 to 14 inches) tall. The flower is a pale greenish-cream color with red patches on its petals. Some people say it smells like an overheated electric motor!
Flower Parts
The orchid's flower has several interesting parts:
- The dorsal sepal (the top part) stands straight up. It's about 38 to 45 millimeters (1.5 to 1.8 inches) long and narrows towards the end. It has a reddish stripe and a thick, dark reddish-purple tip.
- The lateral sepals (the two side parts) are about 39 to 45 millimeters (1.5 to 1.8 inches) long. They also have a glandular tip, just like the top sepal.
- The petals are about 30 to 35 millimeters (1.2 to 1.4 inches) long. They have a red line down their middle. Both the petals and sepals spread out wide at their base but then droop downwards.
- The labellum (the orchid's "lip") is about 13 to 15 millimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. It's green at the bottom and then turns dark maroon and curves near the end. Along its edges, it has 6 to 8 small, tooth-like shapes. In the center, there are four rows of dark maroon bumps called calli.
- The column is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and is curved with wide "wings."
These orchids usually bloom in October.
How It Got Its Name
The Black-clubbed spider orchid was officially described in 1998 by two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements. They published their description in a scientific journal called Austrobaileya. The scientific name atroclavia comes from the prominent dark-colored tips of the sepals, which look like clubs.
Where Does It Live?
This special orchid likes to grow in well-drained gravelly soil that comes from granite rock. You can find it in woodland areas and sometimes in swampy spots. Sadly, there are only about 70 plants known in total, spread across just four small groups. These groups are found in the Girraween National Park and the Wyberba area of Queensland.
Why Is It Endangered?
The Black-clubbed spider orchid is considered "Endangered" by the Queensland Government and the Australian Commonwealth Government. This means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever. The biggest danger to this orchid is the feral pig (Sus scrofa). These pigs can damage the orchid's habitat and even eat the plants.
How It Grows
Scientists at the University of Southern Queensland have studied this orchid. They found that it needs a special type of mycorrhizal fungus to grow. This fungus, which belongs to the Sebacinaceae group, helps the orchid get nutrients from the soil.
