Red thread spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red thread spider orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
erythronema
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| Synonyms | |
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Caladenia sp. 'Nyabing' |
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The Red thread spider orchid (also called the Nyabing spider orchid) is a special plant. It belongs to the orchid family and grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This orchid has one fuzzy leaf and usually up to three flowers. These flowers can be red, yellow, or cream-colored. They have long, thin parts called sepals and petals that hang down, looking like threads. It also has a small, unique lip called a labellum.
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What Does the Red Thread Spider Orchid Look Like?
The Red thread spider orchid is a ground-growing plant. It lives for many years (it's a perennial) and loses its leaves in some seasons (it's deciduous). This plant is a herb with a special underground part called a tuber, which stores food. It has one straight, thin, hairy leaf that is about 6 to 10 centimeters (2.4 to 3.9 inches) long and 3 to 6 millimeters (0.12 to 0.24 inches) wide. The leaf is light green and has reddish-purple spots near its base.
The orchid's stem can grow quite tall, from 13 to 130 centimeters (5.1 to 51 inches). On this stem, you might see up to three flowers. These flowers are usually dull red, pinkish-red, or a dull creamy-yellow with red marks. They are about 6 to 8 centimeters (2.4 to 3.1 inches) wide.
The sepals and petals of the flower are thin and pointed at the bottom. But from about halfway up, they become very narrow and hang down like threads. The top sepal, called the dorsal sepal, stands straight up. It is about 5 to 9 centimeters (2.0 to 3.5 inches) long. The two side sepals, called lateral sepals, are also 5 to 9 centimeters long. The petals are 4 to 7 centimeters (1.6 to 2.8 inches) long.
The labellum (the orchid's lip) is white with dark red spots, stripes, and blotches. It is about 8 to 11 millimeters (0.31 to 0.43 inches) long and 6 to 8 millimeters (0.24 to 0.31 inches) wide. It curves downwards at the front. The sides of the labellum have small teeth that point forward, getting smaller towards the front. There are also about twelve pairs of cream-colored bumps, called calli, arranged in two rows down the middle of the labellum. This orchid blooms from August to early October.
How the Red Thread Spider Orchid Got Its Name
The Red thread spider orchid was officially named Caladenia erythronema in 2015. It was named by two scientists, Andrew Brown and Garry Brockman. They found a sample of this orchid near a place called Nyabing. The name was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, erythronema, comes from two Ancient Greek words. Erythros means "red," and nema means "thread." This name describes the red, thread-like hairs found on the sepals and petals of the flower.
Where the Red Thread Spider Orchid Lives
The Red thread spider orchid mostly grows between the towns of Nyabing and Mukinbudin. This area is part of the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, and Mallee regions in Western Australia. It usually grows in sandy soil within wandoo woodlands, which are forests with wandoo trees.
Protecting the Red Thread Spider Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the Red thread spider orchid. They have decided that it is "not threatened," which means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
