| South coast spider orchid | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Caladenia |
| Species: | C. meridionalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Caladenia meridionalis Hopper & A.P.Br. | |
| Synonyms | |
Caladenia meridionalis, commonly known as the south coast spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an early-flowering orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals.
Description
Caladenia meridionalis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, 100–130 mm (4–5 in) long and 4–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. One or two white to cream-coloured flowers 100–150 mm (4–6 in) long and 60–100 mm (2–4 in) wide are borne on a stalk 150–250 mm (6–10 in) tall. The sepals and petals have dark reddish-brown, drooping, thread-like tips. The dorsal sepal is erect, 55–80 mm (2–3 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide and the lateral sepals are a similar length but slightly wider. The lateral sepals spread widely near their bases then hang. The petals are 50–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide and arranged like the lateral sepals. The labellum is 12–17 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide, white with red stripes, spots and blotches and the tip is curled under. The sides of the labellum have short, irregular serrations and there are six to twelve creamy-yellow, anvil-shaped calli with pink markings, in two rows along the centre. Flowering occurs from July to August.
Taxonomy and naming
Caladenia meridionalis was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown and the description was published in Nuytsia. The specific epithet (meridionalis) is a Latin words meaning "southern" referring to the distribution of this species on the south coast.
Distribution and habitat
The south coast spider orchid occurs between Windy Harbour and Albany in the Warren biogeographic region where it grows in shrubland in consolidated sand dunes.
Conservation
Caladenia meridionalis is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
References
- ^ "Caladenia meridionalis". APNI. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 106. ISBN 1877069124.
- ^ Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 65. ISBN 9780980296457.
- ^ Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 49. ISBN 9780646562322.
- Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 520.
- ^ "Caladenia meridionalis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.