Christmas spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christmas spider orchid |
|
|---|---|
_(47145762671).jpg) |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
|
| Species: |
serotina
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Arachnorchis serotina (Hopper & A.P.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
|
The Christmas spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia serotina) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This unique flower has a single hairy leaf and can have up to three beautiful flowers. These flowers are usually white or cream-coloured with red parts. It's called the Christmas spider orchid because it often blooms later in the year, around Christmas time!
Contents
What Does the Christmas Spider Orchid Look Like?
The Christmas spider orchid is a perennial plant. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and doesn't have a woody stem like a tree. It's also a deciduous plant, which means it sheds its leaves at certain times of the year.
This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small, round storage organ. It has one upright, hairy leaf that is about 10 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) long and 4 to 20 millimetres (0.2 to 0.8 inches) wide.
The Flowers
The Christmas spider orchid produces up to three flowers on a tall stalk. This stalk can be anywhere from 25 to 60 centimetres (10 to 24 inches) tall. Each flower is quite large, about 8 to 12 centimetres (3 to 5 inches) long and 8 to 10 centimetres (3 to 4 inches) wide.
The flowers are a mix of red and white or cream colours. The amount of each colour can be different from one flower to another.
Flower Parts
The flowers have special parts called sepals and petals. These parts have long, thick, yellowish tips.
- The dorsal sepal (the one at the top) stands upright. It is about 5.5 to 10 centimetres (2.2 to 3.9 inches) long.
- The lateral sepals (the two at the sides) spread out wide. They curve downwards near their tips.
- The petals are about 4.5 to 8 centimetres (1.8 to 3.1 inches) long. They are arranged like the lateral sepals.
The most interesting part is the labellum, which is the orchid's special lip. It is about 1.6 to 3 centimetres (0.6 to 1.2 inches) long and 1 to 1.4 centimetres (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. The labellum is white, but it has narrow red teeth along its sides, which can be up to 7 millimetres (0.3 inches) long. The very tip of the labellum curls under.
Along the middle of the labellum, there are four to eight rows of small bumps called calli. These calli can be red, cream, or white.
When Does it Flower?
The Christmas spider orchid blooms from October to early January. It flowers much more after a bushfire has happened in the area during the previous summer.
How Did it Get its Name?
The Christmas spider orchid was first officially described in 1992 by two botanists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown. They wrote about it in a book called Orchids of South-West Australia.
The scientific name serotina comes from a Latin word. It means "happening late." This name was chosen because this orchid flowers later in the season compared to other spider orchids.
Where Does the Christmas Spider Orchid Live?
You can find the Christmas spider orchid in Western Australia. It grows in an area between the cities of Perth and Bremer Bay.
It prefers to grow in areas that are wet during winter. Sometimes, you can even find it flowering in shallow water!
Is it Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Caladenia serotina as "not threatened." This means that currently, there are enough of these orchids, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
