| Lake Muir spider orchid | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
 Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Caladenia |
| Species: | C. erythrochila |
| Binomial name | |
| Caladenia erythrochila Hopper & A.P.Br. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Caladenia erythrochila, commonly known as the Lake Muir spider orchid, Lake Muir blood spider orchid, Harry's little red spider orchid and Lake Muir blood orchid is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the southern corner of the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and long, wispy, thread-like sepals and petals. Most of the flower parts are blood red, although there are often white marks on the labellum.
Description
Caladenia erythrochila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which has a single erect, hairy leaf, 70–90 mm (3–4 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. One or two blood red flowers 60–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 50–60 mm (2.0–2.4 in) wide are borne on a stalk 200–250 mm (8–10 in) high. The sepals and petals are blood red and nearly horizontal near their base but taper to thin, wispy, drooping tips. The dorsal sepal is erect, 35–40 mm (1–2 in) long and about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide at the base. The lateral sepals are 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide near their bases and the petals are 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide at their bases. The labellum is 5.5–6 mm (0.22–0.24 in) long and 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.12 in) wide and blood red, often with white marks. The edges of the labellum have short, forward-pointing teeth and there are two rows of red to cream, anvil-shaped calli along its centre. Flowering occurs from September to early October.
Taxonomy and naming
Caladenia erythrochila was first recognized as new by Harry Winfield, a former field officer with the Western Australian Forests Department for 42 years who is also credited with the discovery of the majestic spider orchid, (Caladenia winfieldii). It was first described by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown in 2001 from a specimen collected by Bill Jackson in 1995, east of Manjimup. The description was published in Nuytsia. The specific epithet (erythrochila) is derived from the Ancient Greek words erythros meaning "red" and cheilos meaning "lip" referring to the blood-red labellum.
Distribution and habitat
Lake Muir spider orchid is only known from two locations near Lake Muir and Lake Nunijup near Frankland in the Jarrah Forest biogeographic region where it grows in jarrah forest on laterite.
Conservation
Caladenia erythrochila is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, meaning that it is poorly known and known from only one or a few locations.
References
- ^ "Caladenia erythrochila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 102. ISBN 1877069124.
- ^ Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 59. ISBN 9780980296457.
- ^ Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 59. ISBN 9780646562322.
- Hill, Phillip; Hill, Pamela (2012). "Volunteer surveys for Lake Muir blood spider orchid - Caladenia erythrochila" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 March 2016.
- Wilson, Ian; Brown, Andrew; Pryor, Kym. "Majestic spider orchid (Caladenia winfieldii) recovery plan" (PDF). Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- "Caladenia erythrochila". APNI. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ "Caladenia erythrochila". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 31 January 2017.