Esperance king spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Esperance king spider orchid |
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| Caladenia decora growing near Hopetoun | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
decora
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| Synonyms | |
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Arachnorchis decora (Hopper & A.P.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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The Esperance king spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia decora) is a special type of orchid. It only grows in the south-west part of Western Australia. This orchid has one fuzzy leaf and can have up to three flowers. These flowers are usually red, yellow, and green. It's one of the biggest spider orchids you can find in Western Australia! Sometimes, it looks a bit like another orchid called the king spider orchid. It can also mix with other orchid types, making it tricky to identify.
What Does It Look Like?
The Esperance king spider orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It can grow alone or in small groups. It has one upright, narrow, and hairy leaf. This leaf is about 9 to 22 cm (3.5 to 8.7 in) long and 6 to 10 mm (0.24 to 0.39 in) wide. The leaf is light green and has purple-red spots near its bottom.
The plant grows a stalk that is about 25 to 50 cm (9.8 to 19.7 in) tall. This stalk holds up to three flowers. The flowers are red, yellow, and green. They are about 6 to 15 mm (0.24 to 0.59 in) long and 5 to 10 mm (0.20 to 0.39 in) wide. This makes them some of the largest spider orchids in Western Australia.
The parts of the flower that look like petals are called sepals and petals. They start wide and then get very narrow. The top sepal stands straight up. It is about 4.5 to 7 cm (1.8 to 2.8 in) long. It has a yellow-brown tip that can be up to 25 mm (0.98 in) long. The side sepals spread out and curve downwards. They are about 5 to 8 cm (2.0 to 3.1 in) long. Their tips are similar to the top sepal's tip.
The petals are about 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 in) long. They usually point slightly up, then curve down. Sometimes, they don't have the special tips. The labellum (which is a special lip-like petal) is dark pink with red stripes. It has a dark tip. It is about 20 to 28 mm (0.79 to 1.10 in) long and 13 to 20 mm (0.51 to 0.79 in) wide. It curves downwards at the front. The sides of the labellum curve upwards. They have a fringe of narrow teeth up to 9 mm (0.35 in) long. These teeth get shorter about halfway to the tip.
In the middle of the labellum, there are four rows of pale maroon bumps. These bumps look like golf sticks. They run along most of the labellum's length, getting smaller towards the tip. This orchid blooms from mid-August to October.
This orchid looks similar to Caladenia pectinata, which is also a large orchid. However, Caladenia decora has brighter colors. Its petals often have special tips. It also grows more to the east. It often mixes with another orchid called Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Esperance king spider orchid was first officially described in 2001. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown, gave it its scientific name. They found a sample of the orchid near the Jerdacuttup River. This river is north-east of Hopetoun. They published their description in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, decora, comes from a Latin word. It means "fitting," "proper," or "beautiful."
Where Does It Live?
The Esperance king spider orchid lives near the coast. You can find it between Bremer Bay and Cape Arid. These areas are part of the Esperance Plains and Mallee regions. It usually grows in areas with shrubs and trees. It likes places that are wet in winter. Sometimes, it also grows near granite rocks.
Is It Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Caladenia decora is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
