Bats Ridges spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bats Ridges spider orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
calcicola
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The Bats Ridges spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia calcicola) is a special kind of plant. It belongs to the orchid family. This orchid is found only in a small area near the border of Victoria and South Australia in Australia.
It's a ground orchid, meaning it grows in the soil. It has one fuzzy leaf and usually one or two shiny, pale yellow flowers. These flowers often have cool maroon (dark reddish-purple) markings.
Contents
About the Bats Ridges Spider Orchid
The Bats Ridges spider orchid is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous herb, so its leaves might fall off at certain times of the year. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage organ.
What Does It Look Like?
Each orchid has a single leaf that is shaped like a spear. This leaf is usually fuzzy and measures about 5 to 13 centimetres (2 to 5 inches) long and 4 to 15 millimetres (0.2 to 0.6 inches) wide.
The orchid usually has one flower, but sometimes it can have two. This flower grows on a hairy stem that is about 11 to 22 centimetres (4 to 9 inches) tall. The flower itself is about 35 to 40 millimetres (1.4 to 1.6 inches) wide.
The outer parts of the flower, called sepals and petals, are a shiny pale yellow. They each have a red stripe down the middle. The side sepals spread out wide and point downwards. They are about 1 to 4 centimetres (0.4 to 1.6 inches) long. Their tips are thin and thread-like, often yellow to reddish. The petals are a bit shorter and end in a thin point.
The most interesting part is the labellum, which is the orchid's special lip. It's about 8 to 15 millimetres (0.3 to 0.6 inches) long and 7 to 11 millimetres (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide when flattened. It's partly red and yellowish-cream near its base. The sides of the labellum have tiny teeth, and there are rows of flattened bumps called calli along its centre.
This orchid blooms from mid-September to early November.
Naming the Orchid
How It Got Its Name
The Bats Ridges spider orchid was officially described in 1986 by a scientist named Geoffrey Carr. He published his description in a scientific journal called Muelleria. The first specimen (example plant) was found near Portland.
The scientific name calcicola comes from two Latin words. "Calci" means "lime," and "cola" means "dweller." So, calcicola means "lime dweller," which makes sense because this orchid grows on limestone ridges.
Where It Lives
This special orchid grows on low limestone ridges. You can find it in a few places west of Portland, Victoria, and a little bit into South Australia. It likes these specific rocky areas.
Protecting the Orchid
The Bats Ridges spider orchid is a rare plant, and its population is quite small. In 2007, scientists estimated there were fewer than 300 of these orchids left. Because of this, it is considered "vulnerable" by the Australian government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. It's also listed as "Endangered" in South Australia and "Threatened" in Victoria.
What Threatens It?
There are a few things that make it hard for this orchid to survive:
- Grazing: Animals eating the plants can harm them.
- Quarrying: Activities that dig up rocks (like for building materials) can destroy its habitat.
- Fire: The wrong kind of fires can also damage the orchid's environment.
Protecting these orchids means making sure their habitat is safe from these threats.
