Outback spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Outback spider orchid |
|
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Caladenia |
| Species: |
C. remota
|
| Subspecies: |
C. r. subsp. remota
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Caladenia remota subsp. remota |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Calonemorchis remota (Hopper & A.P.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
|
The outback spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia remota subsp. remota) is a special type of orchid that grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's called a "spider orchid" because its flowers often look a bit like a spider! This orchid has a single hairy leaf and usually one or two pretty creamy-white or pale yellow flowers. You can often find it growing in moist soil near large granite rocks, especially in areas further inland compared to other spider orchids.
Contents
What the Outback Spider Orchid Looks Like
The outback spider orchid is a ground-dwelling plant. This means it grows in the soil, not on other plants or trees. It is also a perennial plant, which means it lives for many years. Each year, its above-ground parts die back, but it grows again from an underground tuber. A tuber is like a small, round storage organ, similar to a potato.
This orchid has one straight, hairy leaf. The leaf is about 15 to 17 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) long and about 0.5 centimeters (0.2 inches) wide.
Flowers of the Outback Spider Orchid
The orchid usually grows one or two flowers on a tall stem. This stem can be about 15 to 25 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) tall. The flowers are cream-coloured to creamy-yellow. They are quite large, measuring about 9 to 14 centimeters (3.5 to 5.5 inches) long and 6 to 8 centimeters (2.4 to 3.1 inches) wide.
The flowers have parts called sepals and petals. These parts have long, brown, thread-like tips.
- The dorsal sepal (the one at the top) stands upright. It is about 5.5 to 9 centimeters (2.2 to 3.5 inches) long.
- The lateral sepals (the two side ones) spread out and point downwards. They are also about 5.5 to 9 centimeters (2.2 to 3.5 inches) long.
- The petals spread out horizontally near their base but then turn downwards. They are about 5.5 to 8 centimeters (2.2 to 3.1 inches) long.
The most interesting part is the labellum. This is the orchid's special lip. It is about 1.3 to 1.8 centimeters (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long and 1.1 to 1.2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. It is cream-coloured with red lines and marks. The sides of the labellum have many short, blunt teeth. The very tip of the labellum curls underneath. In the middle of the labellum, there are two rows of special bumps called calli. These calli are shaped like tiny anvils and are white, sometimes with red tips.
The outback spider orchid usually blooms, or flowers, from August to mid-December.
Naming the Outback Spider Orchid
The scientific name for this orchid, Caladenia remota, was first given in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown, described it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.
The word remota comes from Latin. It means "distant" or "far off." This name was chosen because this type of orchid grows in more inland areas, further away from the coast, compared to many other spider orchids.
Where the Outback Spider Orchid Lives
The outback spider orchid is found in Western Australia. It grows in an area between the towns of Yalgoo and Bonnie Rock. This region includes parts of the Avon Wheatbelt, Murchison, and Yalgoo areas. It prefers moist places, often found around the edges of large granite rock formations.
Conservation Status
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the outback spider orchid. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids in the wild, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
