Glistening spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glistening spider orchid |
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| Caladenia incensum growing near Gunyidi | |
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Caladenia
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| Species: |
incensum
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Caladenia incensum, commonly known as the glistening spider orchid, is a special type of orchid. It is found only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
The glistening spider orchid has a single, fuzzy leaf. Its flowers are a shiny white color. Each flower has a special part called a labellum which has red stripes.
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What Does the Glistening Spider Orchid Look Like?
The glistening spider orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so it sheds its leaves at certain times. Sometimes, many of these orchids grow together in large groups.
Each plant has one leaf that stands straight up and is covered in fine hairs. This leaf is about 4 to 11 centimeters (1.6 to 4.3 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide.
The plant usually grows up to three beautiful, shiny white flowers. These flowers are quite large, about 9 to 15 centimeters (3.5 to 5.9 inches) long and 7 to 13 centimeters (2.8 to 5.1 inches) wide. They grow on a stalk that is about 12 to 20 centimeters (4.7 to 7.9 inches) tall.
The flower has parts called sepals and petals. These parts spread out widely near their base. But their tips are long and thin, like drooping threads. The top sepal, called the dorsal sepal, stands upright. It is about 6.5 to 13 centimeters (2.6 to 5.1 inches) long. The side sepals and petals are also long, about 5 to 13 centimeters (2.0 to 5.1 inches). The petals are a little bit narrower than the side sepals.
The most interesting part is the labellum. It is about 1.1 to 1.6 centimeters (0.43 to 0.63 inches) long and 1.0 to 1.3 centimeters (0.39 to 0.51 inches) wide. It is white with red lines, spots, and blotches that spread out from the center. The edges of the labellum have small, curved teeth. The very tip of the labellum points downwards. In the middle of the labellum, there are two rows of special white bumps called calli. These calli are broad and shaped like an anvil.
The glistening spider orchid blooms, or flowers, from late June to September.
How the Glistening Spider Orchid Got Its Name
The glistening spider orchid was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown, found a sample of this orchid near Westonia. They first named it Caladenia incensa.
Later, the name was slightly changed to Caladenia incensum. This change was made so that the genus name (Caladenia) and the species name (incensum) would match in their grammatical gender, which is a rule in plant naming.
The specific part of the name, incensum, comes from a Latin word. This Latin word means "a sticky material that smells nice when it's burned." This name was chosen because the orchid has a strong, sharp smell, like burning metal.
Where the Glistening Spider Orchid Lives
The glistening spider orchid grows in several areas of Western Australia. You can find it between Hyden and a place called Nerren Nerren Station, which is north of the Murchison River.
It likes to grow under shrubs, especially on and near large rock formations made of granite. These areas include the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee, Murchison and Yalgoo biogeographic regions.
Is the Glistening Spider Orchid Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the glistening spider orchid. They have classified Caladenia incensum as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
