Fawn spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fawn spider orchid |
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| Caladenia echidnachila growing near Hobart | |
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Caladenia
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| Species: |
echidnachila
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The Fawn spider orchid (scientific name: Caladenia echidnachila) is a special type of flower. It belongs to the orchid family. You can only find this plant in Tasmania, Australia. It grows on the ground and has one fuzzy leaf. Its flowers are usually a light brown, or "fawn," color. They also have thin red lines on their petals and sepals.
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What the Fawn Spider Orchid Looks Like
The Fawn spider orchid is a plant that grows on the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times. This plant has an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. It can grow by itself or in small groups.
Each orchid has one leaf that is narrow and shaped like a spear. This leaf is fuzzy and can be about 7 to 14 cm (3 to 6 inches) long. It's about 4 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The leaf is a dull green color and often has purple spots near its base.
One or two flowers grow on a thin, hairy stem. This stem can be 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 inches) tall. The flowers are fawn or yellowish-brown and are quite large, about 70 to 110 mm (3 to 4 inches) across. The petals and sepals (which look like petals) have thin reddish lines.
Flower Parts
The dorsal sepal is the top sepal. It is long and narrow, about 45 to 80 mm (1.8 to 3.1 inches) long. It tapers to a thin, dark tip. The lateral sepals are the two side sepals. They are similar in size and shape to the top one. They spread out widely.
The petals are about 35 to 65 mm (1.4 to 2.6 inches) long. They are similar to the side sepals. The labellum is a special lip-like petal. It is about 13 to 19 mm (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long and 6 to 9 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. It is cream or yellowish and curves strongly forward.
The sides of the labellum have short, blunt teeth. These teeth get smaller towards the front. In the center of the labellum, there are four to six rows of dark red bumps called calli.
Life Cycle
Fawn spider orchids usually bloom from September to November. After the flowers bloom, they produce fruit. The fruit is a papery, oval-shaped capsule. This capsule is about 12 to 15 mm (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. It holds the orchid's tiny seeds.
How it was Named
The Fawn spider orchid was first officially described in 1933. This was done by a person named William Nicholls. His description was published in a scientific paper called Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania.
The scientific name echidnachila comes from two Ancient Greek words. Echidna means "adder" or "viper." Cheilos means "lip." This name refers to the long, pointed tip of the orchid's labellum.
Some scientists are still discussing if this orchid is a separate species. They wonder if it might be the same as another orchid called C. patersonii.
Where the Fawn Spider Orchid Lives
The Fawn spider orchid mostly grows in coastal areas of southern Tasmania. It likes places with scrub and heath plants. Interestingly, summer fires seem to help these orchids bloom more.
