Short-sepalled spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Short-sepalled spider orchid |
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| Caladenia brevisura growing east of Salmon Gums | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Caladenia
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| Species: |
brevisura
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The Short-sepalled spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia brevisura) is a special kind of plant that belongs to the orchid family. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia, which means it's endemic there. This orchid is quite common and has small, greenish flowers with red marks. It has a hairy leaf and a stem that can grow up to about 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall. You can find it growing between the towns of Ravensthorpe and Israelite Bay.
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What Does This Orchid Look Like?
The short-sepalled spider orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, which means some parts (like its leaves) fall off at certain times of the year. This plant is a herb, which means it has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree. It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small, swollen root that stores food.
It has one hairy leaf that stands straight up. This leaf is usually about 6 to 12 centimeters (2.4 to 4.7 inches) long and about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) wide. The orchid usually has one flower, but sometimes two. These flowers grow on a stem that is 15 to 25 centimeters (5.9 to 9.8 inches) tall. Each flower is about 3 to 4 centimeters (1.2 to 1.6 inches) long and 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Flower Parts and Colors
The flower has different parts called sepals and petals. The top sepal, called the dorsal sepal, is pointed. The side sepals and the petals are short and point downwards. The side sepals have thin, red, scent-making glands at their tips.
The labellum (which is a special lip-like petal on an orchid) is greenish-white. It has red or brown markings and a red tip. There are many small bumps, called calli, in a thick line along the middle of the labellum.
This orchid blooms between August and October. After the flower, it forms a dry capsule (a type of fruit) that splits open to release many seeds. This orchid looks a bit like another orchid called Caladenia doutchiae. However, the short-sepalled spider orchid has shorter sepal tips and grows further south.
How It Got Its Name
The Caladenia brevisura was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown, wrote about it after finding a sample near the Oldfield River. Their description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The scientific name brevisura comes from two Latin words. Brevis means "short," and sura means "calf of the leg." This name was chosen because of the short tips on the side sepals of the flower, which might have reminded the scientists of short calves.
Where Does This Orchid Live?
The short-sepalled spider orchid grows in an area between Ravensthorpe and Israelite Bay in Western Australia. This area includes different natural regions like Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, and Mallee.
It likes to grow in shallow soil, especially on top of granite rocks. You can also find it growing near the edges of salt lakes.
Is This Orchid Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the Caladenia brevisura. They have officially said that it is "not threatened." This means that there are enough of these orchids in the wild, and they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
