Wimmera spider orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wimmera spider orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
lowanensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Arachnorchis lowanensis (G.W.Carr) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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The Caladenia lowanensis, also known as the Wimmera spider orchid, is a special kind of plant in the orchid family. It only grows in Victoria, Australia, which means it is endemic to that area. This ground orchid has just one leaf and one beautiful cream-coloured flower. The flower often has cool red lines and blotches on it. In 2010, scientists thought there were only about 700 of these plants left. Luckily, most of them are safe in special nature reserves.
Contents
What Does the Wimmera Spider Orchid Look Like?
The Wimmera spider orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small, round storage part. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years, and it's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times.
- Leaf: Each plant has one leaf that is about 7 to 12 centimetres (3 to 5 inches) long and 8 to 12 millimetres (about half an inch) wide.
- Flower: Only one flower grows on a stem that can be 12 to 25 centimetres (5 to 10 inches) tall. The flower itself is about 3 to 4 centimetres (1 to 1.5 inches) wide. It's mostly cream-coloured with red stripes and spots.
- Sepals: The flower has parts called sepals, which are like outer leaves that protect the bud. These sepals have dark red, club-shaped tips. The top sepal stands straight up, while the side sepals spread out wide, sometimes curving downwards.
- Petals: The petals are similar to the side sepals in how they are arranged.
- Labellum: The labellum is a special lip-like petal in the middle of the orchid. It's egg-shaped and pale yellowish with red stripes and a red tip that curls under. The sides of the labellum have small, tooth-like parts. Along the middle, there are rows of shiny red bumps called calli.
- Flowering Time: These orchids usually bloom in September and October.
How the Wimmera Spider Orchid Got Its Name
The Wimmera spider orchid was first officially described in 1991 by a scientist named Geoffrey Carr. He found a sample of the plant near a place called Kiata. The name lowanensis comes from the Lowan district in Victoria. The Latin ending -ensis means "from" or "of," so the name tells us where this orchid species is found.
Where Does the Wimmera Spider Orchid Live?
You can find the Wimmera spider orchid growing in open woodlands. It lives near the town of Kiata and also inside and around the Little Desert National Park.
Protecting the Wimmera Spider Orchid
The Wimmera spider orchid is considered an "endangered" species. This means it's at a high risk of disappearing forever. Both the Victorian government (under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988) and the Australian government (under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) have laws to protect it.
In 2010, there were about 700 plants known, spread across five different groups. About 90% of these plants were safe in protected areas. However, there are still dangers to this orchid, such as:
- People dumping rubbish.
- Plants being stepped on.
- Weeds growing and taking over their space.
- Rabbits eating the plants.
