Grass-leafed spider orchid facts for kids

The Caladenia graminifolia, commonly called the grass-leafed spider orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It has a single smooth leaf and one or two flowers. These flowers are greenish-yellow and red. They have a narrow labellum (a special lip petal) with long teeth on its sides. The flowers usually stay open for only a day or two.

What Does It Look Like?

The grass-leafed spider orchid is a terrestrial plant. This means it grows in the ground. It is also a perennial herb, so it lives for more than two years. It has an underground tuber, which is like a small storage organ.

Each orchid has one leaf that is almost hairless. This leaf can be about 100 to 180 millimeters (4 to 7 inches) long. It is about 6 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. This is why it's called "grass-leafed."

The plant produces one or two flowers. They are greenish-yellow and red. Each flower is about 40 to 60 millimeters (1.6 to 2.4 inches) long. They are also about 30 to 50 millimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) wide. These flowers grow on a stalk that is 150 to 350 millimeters (6 to 14 inches) tall.

The flowers can self-pollinate. This means they can make seeds using their own pollen. The sepals and petals are important parts of the flower. The side sepals and petals have thick, glandular tips. These tips are more noticeable on the side sepals.

• The top sepal stands straight up. It is about 22 to 35 millimeters (0.9 to 1.4 inches) long. It is also 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide.
• The side sepals are also 22 to 35 millimeters long. They are 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.2 inches) wide. These sepals point downwards and often cross each other.
• The petals are 18 to 25 millimeters (0.7 to 1 inch) long. They are about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. They spread out wide, mostly sideways.

The labellum is the special lip petal of the orchid. It is 10 to 14 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long. It is 14 to 18 millimeters (0.6 to 0.7 inches) wide. The labellum is greenish-white with a red tip. Its sides have a fringe of teeth up to 6 millimeters (0.2 inches) long. There are also two or four rows of maroon bumps called calli. These calli are up to 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long. They run along the center of the labellum.

This orchid usually flowers from August to September.

Where Did It Get Its Name?

The Caladenia graminifolia was first officially described in 1971. This was done by a scientist named Alex George. He published his description in a journal called Nuytsia. He studied a plant sample found at Culham Inlet.

The second part of its scientific name, graminifolia, comes from Latin words.

• Gramen or graminis means "grass."
• Folius means "-leaved."

So, graminifolia means "grass-leaved." This name perfectly describes the orchid's grass-like leaf!

Where Does It Live?

The grass-leafed spider orchid grows in Western Australia. You can find it between Mount Manypeaks and Israelite Bay. These areas are part of the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions.

It likes to grow in woodlands. You can often find it under tall shrubs. Sometimes, it also grows on granite outcrops. These are places where large rocks stick out of the ground.

Is It Safe?

The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants and animals. They have classified Caladenia graminifolia as "Not Threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.