Caladenia zephyra facts for kids

Caladenia zephyra is a special type of orchid plant. It grows only in South Australia. This orchid grows from the ground and has one fuzzy leaf. It also has one flower that is usually cream-colored or very light yellow. This flower has tiny black hairs on its sepals and petals. You can find it on the Eyre Peninsula, but it might grow in other places too.

About the Zephyr Orchid

Caladenia zephyra is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It is also a deciduous herb, meaning its leaves fall off at certain times of the year.

This orchid has one leaf that is very hairy. The leaf is narrow and shaped like a spear. It is about 60–120 mm (2–5 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The leaf is a dull green color with a purple spot at its base.

A single flower grows on a thin, hairy stem that is about 150–250 mm (6–10 in) tall. The flower is cream-colored or a very pale yellow.

Flower Parts

The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) stands upright. It is about 45–60 mm (2–2 in) long and 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. About a third of the way up, it suddenly becomes very thin, like a thread. This thread-like tip has black, tiny hairs called glandular hairs.

The lateral sepals (the two side parts of the flower) are about 55–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. They also become thin like a thread at their tips, just like the dorsal sepal.

The petals (the colorful parts of the flower) are about 37–55 mm (1–2 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. They also taper to a thread-like, hairy tip.

The labellum is a special lip-shaped part of the flower. It is egg-shaped or spear-shaped, about 13–17 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long and 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. It stands upright at its base, then curves downwards. The sides of the labellum stand up and have between seven and twelve thread-like "teeth." These teeth are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and each has a small egg-shaped tip.

There are also six rows of creamy yellow, club-shaped bumps called calli along the middle of the labellum. This orchid usually blooms in late August and September.

Naming the Zephyr Orchid

This orchid was first officially described in 2006 by a botanist named David Jones. He first named it Arachnorchis zephyra. The first plant specimen used to describe the species (called the type specimen) was found in the Carappee Hill Conservation Park. The description was then published in a science journal called Australian Orchid Research.

Later, in 2008, another botanist named Robert Bates changed its name to Caladenia zephyra. He published this change in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden.

The second part of the plant's name, zephyra, comes from a Latin word. It means "west wind." This name was chosen because this orchid grows in the western part of the area compared to a similar orchid called C. arenaria.

Where it Lives

Caladenia zephyra is currently only known to grow in the Eyre Peninsula area of South Australia. It grows in forests where different types of trees like Callitris and Allocasuarina grow together. However, scientists think it might grow in other places too.