Caladenia bigeminata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caladenia bigeminata |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
bigeminata
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The Caladenia bigeminata is a special type of orchid plant. It belongs to the orchid family, which is called Orchidaceae. This plant is found only in one specific place: the south-west part of Western Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one area, we say it is endemic to that place.
This unique orchid has a single leaf that stands up straight. It also grows one or two beautiful white flowers. These flowers have cool red markings on them. The stem that holds the flowers can grow up to about 25 centimeters (or 10 inches) tall.
What it Looks Like
Caladenia bigeminata is a plant that grows from the ground, not from a tree. It's called a terrestrial plant. It's also a perennial, which means it lives for more than two years. Every year, its leaves fall off, but it grows back from an underground part called a tuber. This makes it a deciduous plant. It's a herb, meaning it has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree.
You might find this orchid growing by itself. Sometimes, it grows in small groups with other Caladenia bigeminata plants.
- Leaf: It has one leaf that stands upright. The leaf is usually 3 to 9 centimeters (about 1 to 3.5 inches) long. It is also 3 to 7 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. Near the bottom of the leaf, you might see red blotches or spots.
- Flowers: The plant grows one or two flowers on a stem. This stem can be 12 to 25 centimeters (about 5 to 10 inches) tall. Each flower is bright white with red marks. They can be quite large, about 4 to 8 centimeters (about 1.5 to 3 inches) wide.
Let's look at the parts of the flower:
- Top Sepal: The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, stands straight up. It's about 4 to 7 centimeters long and very thin.
- Side Sepals and Petals: The side parts, called lateral sepals and petals, are about the same length. But they are twice as wide as the top sepal. They spread out wide at their base. Then they droop down towards their ends.
- Labellum: This is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. It is bright white with red stripes and spots. The labellum is about 11 to 13 millimeters long and 6 to 7 millimeters wide. It has a narrow, triangular shape with three main sections. The sides of the labellum have red teeth-like edges. In the middle, there are two pairs of cream-colored bumps. These bumps are called calli.
This orchid usually blooms, or flowers, from late July to early September.
Naming the Orchid
The Caladenia bigeminata was officially named in 2015. Two scientists, Andrew Brown and Garry Brockman, described it for the first time. They found a sample of the plant near a town called Northampton. Their description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, bigeminata, comes from two Latin words.
- Bi- means "two".
- Geminus means "twin".
This name refers to the two pairs of rows of calli (the cream-colored bumps) found on the labellum. It's like the flower has "twin pairs" of these bumps!
Where it Lives
This special spider orchid is only found in a small area. This area is near Northampton in Western Australia. It's part of a larger natural region called the Geraldton Sandplains.
The orchid likes to grow in shallow, sandy soil. This soil often gets covered with water during the winter months.
Protecting the Orchid
The Caladenia bigeminata is a very rare plant. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given it a special status. It is classified as "Priority One".
This means that the orchid is known to exist in only one or a few places. These places are potentially at risk. Because it's so rare, it needs special protection to make sure it doesn't disappear.
