Caladenia variegata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caladenia variegata |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
variegata
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| Synonyms | |
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Petalochilus variegatus (Colenso), D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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Caladenia variegata is a special type of orchid plant. It grows only in New Zealand. This orchid has a single, long, thin leaf with a few hairs. It also produces one or two pretty pink flowers.
What it Looks Like
Caladenia variegata is a plant that grows from an underground part called a tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This orchid usually grows by itself, but sometimes you can find groups of up to ten plants.
It has one dark green leaf that lies on the ground. This leaf can be up to 300 millimeters (about 12 inches) long and 4 millimeters (about 0.16 inches) wide. It has a few hairs on it.
The plant produces one or two pink flowers, but sometimes they can be white. Each flower is about 30 millimeters (about 1.2 inches) wide. They grow on a thick stem that can be up to 300 millimeters (about 12 inches) tall.
Flower Parts
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, stands up straight at first. Then it bends forward, making a kind of hood over the center of the flower. The outside of this sepal is a bit greenish.
The two side parts, called the lateral sepals, are wide and oval-shaped. They spread out and point slightly downwards. The petals are also oval-shaped, but they often look like a sickle and have a pointed tip.
The special lower petal, called the labellum, is pale pink. It is white near its edges and has dark red stripes. The sides of the labellum curve upwards, partly wrapping around the center of the flower. The tip of the labellum is yellow and has a jagged edge. There are also two rows of small bumps with bright yellow tops, called calli, along the middle of the labellum.
This orchid flowers from November to January.
Its Name and History
The plant Caladenia variegata was first officially described in 1885. This was done by a person named William Colenso. He published his description in a book called Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute.
The second part of its name, variegata, comes from a Latin word. It means "of different sorts" or "having different colors." This likely refers to the varied colors on its labellum.
Where it Lives
Caladenia variegata grows on both the North Island and the South Island of New Zealand. It can also be found on the Chatham Islands. This orchid usually grows in forests, often among the fallen leaves on the ground.
