Caladenia cadyi facts for kids

Caladenia cadyi is a very rare type of orchid that grows only in the south coast area of New South Wales, Australia. It's known for its single dull green leaf with purple spots and a unique greenish-cream flower with pink or reddish marks. Sadly, this orchid is now thought to be extinct because the only place it was known to grow was cleared away and replaced with a pine tree farm.

What Does the Cadyi Orchid Look Like?

The Caladenia cadyi orchid is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's a herb that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). These orchids often grow in small groups.

Each plant has one dull green leaf with purple spots near its base. This leaf is about 80–150 mm (3–6 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. It's also covered in tiny hairs up to 3 mm (0.1 in) long.

A single flower grows on a thin, hairy, reddish stem that stands about 150–300 mm (6–10 in) tall. The flower itself is about 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) wide. It's usually greenish-cream to cream in color, with pretty pink or reddish stripes and blotches.

Flower Parts

Like other orchids, Caladenia cadyi has special flower parts:

• The dorsal sepal (the top part) is oblong or oval-shaped. It's about 25–40 mm (1–2 in) long and 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. It tapers to a thick, glandular (sticky) tip.
• The lateral sepals (the side parts) are similar but a bit wider.
• The petals are narrow and spear-shaped, about 18–36 mm (0.7–1 in) long.
• The labellum is the orchid's special lip. It's shaped like a spear or an egg, about 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 7–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) wide. It has upright side lobes. The labellum curves forward and has five to nine pairs of small, tooth-like parts along its sides. In the middle of the labellum, there are many small bumps called calli. These are crowded near the base and form rows towards the center.

This orchid usually blooms in September.

How the Cadyi Orchid Got Its Name

Discovery and Naming

The Caladenia cadyi orchid was first officially described in 2006 by a botanist named David Jones. He first called it Arachnorchis cadyi. He wrote about it in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research. The description was based on a sample collected near Nowra, in New South Wales.

Later, in 2010, another botanist named Gary Backhouse changed its name to Caladenia cadyi. The second part of its name, cadyi, was chosen to honor Leo Cady. He was the person who collected the very first sample of this orchid, which is called the type specimen.

Where Did the Cadyi Orchid Live?

This special spider orchid was only known from one specific place. It grew in a shrubby forest habitat. The last time anyone saw this orchid was in 1960. After that, the area where it lived was cleared by bulldozers. Pine trees, specifically Pinus radiata, were planted there instead.

Even though there are other similar forest areas nearby, no one has seen the Caladenia cadyi orchid since 1960, despite many searches. This is why it is now believed to be extinct.