Caladenia leucochila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caladenia leucochila |
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| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
leucochila
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Caladenia leucochila is a special type of orchid flower. Orchids are beautiful plants known for their unique blooms. This particular orchid only grows in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's quite rare!
It has a single leaf and produces one or two pretty flowers. These flowers are usually pale yellow, greenish cream, or white. They often have dull red stripes. This rare orchid is mainly found near a town called Collie.
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About the White-lipped Spider Orchid
Caladenia leucochila is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves each year, which is called being deciduous.
What it Looks Like
This orchid has one straight leaf. The leaf is about 12 to 20 centimeters (5-8 inches) long. It is also about 4 to 11 millimeters (0.2-0.4 inches) wide. Near the bottom of the leaf, you might see reddish-purple spots.
The plant usually grows one or two flowers. These flowers are pale yellow, greenish cream, or white. They have dull red stripes and are about 4 to 6 centimeters (1.6-2.4 inches) wide. The flowers grow on a stem that can be 12 to 40 centimeters (5-16 inches) tall.
Flower Parts
The flowers have parts called sepals and petals. These parts are thin and pointed for about half their length. Then they suddenly become very narrow. The sepals, but usually not the petals, have yellowish-brown, club-shaped tips. These tips are about 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4-0.5 inches) long.
The top sepal stands up straight but bends forward a little. It is about 25 to 35 millimeters (1-1.4 inches) long. The side sepals are about 35 to 40 millimeters (1.4-1.6 inches) long. They usually stick out almost flat. The petals are about 25 to 30 millimeters (1-1.2 inches) long. They are held like the side sepals and usually do not have club-like tips.
The labellum is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. For Caladenia leucochila, the labellum is white. It is about 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4-0.6 inches) long. The edges of the labellum have long, white or red teeth that point forward. In the middle of the labellum, there are four to six rows of yellow or red structures. These are called calli and look like tiny hockey sticks.
This orchid blooms during the spring months, from September to October.
Naming the Orchid
This orchid was first officially described in 2001. Three botanists, Andrew Brown, Ryan Phillips, and Garry Brockman, gave it its scientific name. They found a specimen of the plant near Collie.
The name leucochila comes from Greek words. Leuco- means "white," and chilus means "lipped." So, leucochila means "white-lipped," which refers to the orchid's white labellum.
Where it Grows
This special orchid is only found in the Collie area of Western Australia. It grows in sandy soil in open forests and scrubland. This area is part of the Jarrah Forest region.
Protecting the Orchid
Caladenia leucochila is a very rare plant. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has listed it as "Threatened Flora." This means it is a rare plant that needs special protection to survive.
