Kalbarri spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kalbarri spider orchid |
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| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
wanosa
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The Caladenia wanosa, also known as the Kalbarri spider orchid, is a special type of orchid. It is only found in the south-west part of Western Australia. This orchid has one tall, hairy leaf and usually one or two creamy flowers with red stripes. Even though it's only found in a small area, it's quite common there.
The name "wanosa" is a clever acronym. It comes from the first letters of the "West Australian Native Orchid Study & Conservation Group."
Contents
About the Kalbarri Spider Orchid
The Kalbarri spider orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial herb, meaning it comes back every year. It also loses its leaves during certain seasons. This orchid grows from a special underground part called a tuber, which is like a small potato.
It has one upright, hairy leaf that is usually about 3 to 6 centimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide.
Flowers
The plant produces one or two creamy flowers with red stripes. These flowers are about 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) long and 3 to 4 centimeters (1.2 to 1.6 inches) wide. They grow on a stalk that stands 12 to 20 centimeters (4.7 to 7.9 inches) tall.
The flowers have parts called sepals and petals. The sepals have thick, brownish, club-shaped tips. The top sepal stands up straight and curves forward. The side sepals curve downwards. The petals are arranged similarly to the side sepals.
The most interesting part is the labellum, which is a special lip-like petal. It's about 12 to 13 millimeters (0.5 inches) long and 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. It's creamy with wide red lines. The very tip of the labellum is red and curls downwards. There are also two rows of club-shaped bumps, called calli, along the middle of the labellum.
These beautiful orchids bloom from August to mid-September.
How It Was Named
The Kalbarri spider orchid was officially described in 2001 by a scientist named Alex George. He found a sample of the plant north of the Murchison River. The description was then published in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, wanosa, is a tribute to the Western Australian Native Orchid Study and Conservation Group.
Where It Lives
You can find the Kalbarri spider orchid growing between the Murchison River and the Eurardy Reserve. It likes to grow in areas with shrubs and in a type of forest called mallee woodland. There are also smaller groups of these orchids found near the towns of Mullewa and Yuna. These areas are part of the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region.
Conservation Efforts
The Kalbarri spider orchid is listed as "Threatened Flora" by the Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means it's a rare plant that needs protection. The Australian Government also considers it "vulnerable" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This means it faces a high risk of becoming endangered in the wild.
The biggest dangers to this orchid are:
- Weed invasion: Weeds can grow around the orchids and take away their space, water, and nutrients.
- Grazing animals: Animals like wild pigs (Sus scrofa), goats (Capra hircus), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and sheep sometimes eat the orchids, which can harm the plant populations.
