Margaret River spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Margaret River spider orchid |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
citrina
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| Synonyms | |
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Arachnorchis citrina (Hopper & A.P.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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The Margaret River spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia citrina) is a special type of flower. It belongs to the amazing orchid family. This beautiful plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It has one tall, fuzzy leaf and can grow up to three bright lemon-yellow flowers.
What Does It Look Like?
The Margaret River spider orchid is a ground-dwelling plant. This means it grows in the soil, not on other plants. It is also a perennial plant, so it lives for more than two years. It's a deciduous plant, meaning it loses its leaves at certain times. It has a special underground part called a tuber, which is like a storage root.
Each orchid has one upright, hairy leaf. This leaf is about 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) long. It is also about 3 to 10 millimeters (0.1 to 0.4 inches) wide.
The orchid can have up to three flowers on its stem. Each flower is quite large, about 10 to 13 centimeters (4 to 5 inches) long. They are also about 6 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3.5 inches) wide. The flowers are a lovely lemon-yellow color. They have parts called sepals and petals that spread out wide.
The middle part of the flower is called the labellum. It is usually cream or greenish-yellow. The edges of the labellum have narrow teeth. These teeth often have club-shaped tips. There are also four or more rows of small bumps called calli along the center of the labellum. These calli are white or light red. You can see these orchids flowering in September or October.
How It Got Its Name
The Margaret River spider orchid was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown, gave it its scientific name. They found a sample of the orchid near a place called Witchcliffe. Their description was then published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, citrina, comes from the word "citrus." This name was chosen because the flowers of this orchid are a bright lemon-yellow color, just like a lemon!
Where Does It Grow?
The Margaret River spider orchid likes to grow in gravelly soil. You can find it in forests where Jarrah and Marri trees grow. These forests are located between Dunsborough and Forest Grove. This area is part of the Jarrah Forest and Warren regions in Western Australia.
Keeping It Safe
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants and animals. They have looked at the Margaret River spider orchid. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
