Crested spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested spider orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
cristata
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The Caladenia cristata, also known as the crested clown orchid or crested spider orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in a small part of south-western Western Australia. This unique plant has a single fuzzy leaf and a flower that is greenish-yellow and red.
What makes it stand out is its unusually tall stem, especially for such a small flower. After it was first found in 1923, people thought it had disappeared forever. But luckily, it was found again in 1986!
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What Does the Crested Spider Orchid Look Like?
The crested spider orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous herb, which means its leaves fall off at certain times. This orchid has a special underground part called a tuber, which stores food.
It grows a single, upright, hairy leaf that is about 8 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches) long. Usually, it produces just one flower. This flower is about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide and 3 to 4 centimeters (1.2 to 1.6 inches) long. It sits on a tall stem that can be 18 to 40 centimeters (7 to 16 inches) high.
The flowers are a mix of greenish-yellow and red. They have a brownish labellum, which is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, stands up straight. The side parts, called lateral sepals, spread out wide. The petals are similar but narrower.
The labellum is brownish-red and has smooth edges. It curves downwards near its tip. In the middle of the labellum, there are many tall, red-tipped parts called calli. These calli are packed closely together. The central part of the flower, called the column, is almost as long as the labellum. It curves forward and has two wide wings. These orchids usually bloom from August to late September.
How Did the Crested Spider Orchid Get Its Name?
The crested spider orchid was first officially described in 1923 by a scientist named Richard Sanders Rogers. He published his description in a scientific journal. He studied a plant found in the Murchison district by "Dr. E.S. Simpson."
The second part of its scientific name, cristata, comes from a Latin word. It means "tufted" or "crested." This name refers to the tall, crowded calli on the orchid's labellum, which look like a crest.
Where Does the Crested Spider Orchid Live?
For a while, people thought the crested spider orchid was extinct. This was because no one saw any plants after 1932. In 1977, some plants were found, but they turned out to be a different, new species called Caladenia voigtii.
Nine years later, in 1986, real C. cristata plants were found near Miling. Now, we know this orchid grows in an area between Pithara, Wongan Hills, and Watheroo. It likes to grow on higher ground, often above salt lakes and flat areas.
Protecting the Crested Spider Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Caladenia cristata a special status. It is classified as "Priority One." This means the orchid is known in only a few places, and these places might be at risk.
In 2011, volunteers helped to find these orchids. They located 932 plants in three areas where the orchid was known to live. However, most of these plants (867 of them) were found in just one spot. No plants were found in three other places where they used to be.
The main dangers to the crested spider orchid are:
- Rising salinity: This means the soil is getting saltier, which can harm the plants.
- Grazing: Animals like rabbits and goats eat the orchids.
- Weeds: Other plants, called weeds, can grow and take over the orchid's space.
- Habitat degradation: This means the places where the orchids live are getting damaged or changed.
