Pingaring spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pingaring spider orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
graniticola
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The Pingaring spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia graniticola) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it's endemic to that area, found nowhere else in the world!
This orchid has a single leaf that feels a bit hairy. It grows one or two colorful flowers. These flowers are usually yellowish-green, red, and white. They have a unique part called a labellum, which is like a special lip. This labellum is greenish-yellow and white, with a red tip.
Scientists first described this orchid as a subspecies of another orchid. But later, they realized it was different enough to be its own unique species.
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What Does the Pingaring Spider Orchid Look Like?
The Pingaring spider orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so some parts might die back in certain seasons.
Each orchid has one upright, hairy leaf. This leaf is usually about 8 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches) long. It's about 0.5 to 1 centimeter (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide.
The plant grows one or two flowers on a tall stalk. This stalk can be 12 to 30 centimeters (5 to 12 inches) high. Each flower is quite large, about 6 to 7 centimeters (2.4 to 2.8 inches) long. They are also 4 to 5 centimeters (1.6 to 2 inches) wide.
The flowers are a mix of yellowish-green, red, and white. They have special parts called sepals and petals.
- The side sepals and petals spread out wide and curve downwards. They have narrow, club-like tips that are glandular (meaning they have tiny glands).
- The top sepal stands upright. It's about 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters (1 to 1.4 inches) long.
- The side sepals are 2.2 to 3.2 centimeters (0.9 to 1.3 inches) long. They sometimes curve and cross each other.
- The petals are 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) long and curve downwards.
The labellum (the special lip) is a key feature. It's 1.5 to 2 centimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long and 0.6 to 0.9 centimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. It's greenish-yellow with a red tip. The tip of the labellum points downwards. The sides of the labellum have thin, upright teeth, up to 0.5 centimeters (0.2 inches) long. In the middle, there are four rows of deep red calli. These are small, raised bumps, up to 0.3 centimeters (0.1 inches) long.
This beautiful orchid usually blooms from late September to October.
How This Orchid Got Its Name
The Pingaring spider orchid was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown, gave it its name. They found a specimen (a plant sample) near a place called Pingaring. The first discovery of this plant was made by Kathleen White in 1984.
When it was first described, it was called Caladenia hoffmanii subspecies graniticola. This description was published in a scientific journal called Nuytsia. Later, in 2007, the same scientists decided it was unique enough to be its own species. So, they changed its name to Caladenia graniticola.
The second part of its scientific name, graniticola, tells us something important about the plant. It comes from two Latin words:
- graniticus means 'granite rocks'.
- -cola means 'dweller' or 'one who lives in'.
So, graniticola means 'dweller of granite rocks'. This name perfectly describes where this orchid likes to live!
Where Does the Pingaring Spider Orchid Live?
The Pingaring spider orchid grows in a specific area of Western Australia. You can find it between the towns of Kalgarin and Newdegate. This area is part of the Esperance Plains and Mallee regions.
It prefers to grow on and around large granite rock formations. It often lives under tall shrubs in these areas.
Protecting the Pingaring Spider Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has listed Caladenia graniticola as "Threatened Flora". This means it's a rare plant that needs special protection to survive.
There are a few main reasons why this orchid is threatened:
- Small Population: There aren't many of these orchids left.
- Fire: The way fires happen in its habitat can be harmful to the plant.
- Grazing: Animals like rabbits and kangaroos sometimes eat the orchids.
- Weeds: Other plants (weeds) can invade its habitat and outcompete the orchid.
Protecting this unique orchid is important to make sure it continues to thrive in Western Australia.
