Karri cowslip orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Karri cowslip orchid |
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| Caladenia flava subsp. sylvestris growing near Two Peoples Bay | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Caladenia |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. f. subsp. sylvestris
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| Trinomial name | |
| Caladenia flava subsp. sylvestris Hopper & A.P.Br.
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The Karri cowslip orchid, or Caladenia flava subsp. sylvestris, is a beautiful type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It has one fuzzy leaf and pretty pale yellow and cream-colored flowers. The tips of its petals and sepals are white, and they have bright red or pink marks.
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What Does the Karri Cowslip Orchid Look Like?
The Karri cowslip orchid is a ground-dwelling plant. It is also a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is a deciduous herb, which means its leaves fall off each year. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
It has a single leaf that is fuzzy. This leaf is about 5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 6 inches) long. It is also about 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) wide. The underside of the leaf often has a purple tint.
The orchid can have up to four flowers. These flowers grow on tall stalks, about 12 to 30 centimeters (5 to 12 inches) high. Each flower is about 2 to 5 centimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) long and 2 to 4 centimeters (0.8 to 1.6 inches) wide.
The flower's sepals and petals are a light lemon-yellow color. They become white closer to their tips. There is a bright red or pink line down the middle of each sepal and petal.
- The top sepal stands upright. It is about 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) long. It is also about 0.7 to 1 centimeter (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide.
- The side sepals are bigger. They are about 2 to 4 centimeters (0.8 to 1.6 inches) long. They are also about 0.7 to 1.5 centimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide.
- The petals are about 1.2 to 2.4 centimeters (0.5 to 0.9 inches) long. They are about 0.6 to 1.2 centimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) wide.
The labellum is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. It is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long and 1 to 1.3 centimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. It has three parts, called lobes.
- The side lobes are shaped like an egg. They sometimes have four to six club-shaped teeth.
- The middle lobe has four to six upright teeth.
- There are two rows of small bumps, called calli, along the center of the labellum. They form a U-shape.
This orchid usually blooms from October to December.
This subspecies is a bit different from other types of Caladenia flava. It has taller flower stems. It also blooms later in the year, about six weeks after some other types.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Caladenia flava orchid was first officially described in 1810. This was done by a botanist named Robert Brown. He wrote about it in his book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
Later, in 2001, two other scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown, described three different subspecies of Caladenia flava. One of these was Caladenia flava subsp. sylvestris. They published their descriptions in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, sylvestris, comes from a Latin word. It means "of woods." This name was chosen because this orchid likes to grow in forests.
Where Does This Orchid Live?
The Karri cowslip orchid grows in forests. It especially likes karri forests that get a lot of rain. You can find it between the towns of Bunbury and Albany in Western Australia. It lives in specific natural areas. These areas are known as the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, and Warren biogeographic regions.
Is This Orchid Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants and animals. They have classified Caladenia flava subsp. sylvestris as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
