Caladenia ampla

Dainty spider orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Monocots
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Subfamily:Orchidoideae
Tribe:Diurideae
Genus:Caladenia
Species: C. ampla
Binomial name
Caladenia ampla
(D.L.Jones) G.N.Backh.[1]
Synonyms

Caladenia ampla, commonly known as the dainty spider orchid,[3] is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and a single flower which is sometimes yellowish-green flower with red stripes and sometimes entirely red.

Description

Caladenia ampla is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single hairy leaf, 6–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide.[4]

A single flower (rarely two) is borne on a spike up to 22 cm (9 in) high. The dorsal sepal is erect, oblong to lance-shaped, 30–37 mm (1.2–1.5 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. It tapers near the end which terminates in a glandular structure 6.5–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. The lateral sepals are oblong to lance-shaped, 30–37 mm (1.2–1.5 in) long, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide and end in a gland similar to the one on the dorsal sepal. The petals are 28–32 mm (1.1–1.3 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide and taper to a point. The labellum is a broad egg-shape, curves forward, 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide when flattened. The labellum is cream-coloured with red veins and a dark red tip, sometimes entirely red. There are 9 to 12 pairs of calli along the edge of the labellum, decreasing in length towards its front. There are four rows of foot-shaped calli in the centre of the labellum, also smaller towards the tip. Flowering occurs in September and October.[4]

C. ampla labelled

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described by David L. Jones in 2006 and given the name Arachnorchis ampla.[5] The description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[2] In 2007, Gary Backhouse changed the name to Caladenia ampla and the change was published in "The Victorian Naturalist".[1] The specific epithet (ampla) is a Latin word meaning "large",[6] referring to the unusually broad labellum of this orchid.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Caladenia ampla is only known from the goldfields region of Victoria where it grows in mallee scrub and woodlands.[4]

Conservation

This species is classified as "Endangered" by the Victorian government.[3][4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Caladenia ampla". APNI. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Arachnorchis ampla". APNI. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Advisory list of rare and threatened plants in Victoria 2014" (PDF). The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jeanes, Jeffrey. "Caladenia ampla". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Vicflora. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 5: 50–51.
  6. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 86.
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