Caladenia gladiolata

Caladenia gladiolata, commonly known as small bayonet spider orchid, smelly socks[2] or simply bayonet orchid[3] is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two yellowish or brownish flowers with red stripes and unusual tips on the sepals and petals.

Small bayonet spider orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. gladiolata
Binomial name
Caladenia gladiolata
Synonyms[1]

Description

Caladenia gladiolata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which has a single, hairy leaf, 30–80 mm (1–3 in) long and 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. One or two yellowish-green or brownish flowers with red markings and a strong, spicy odour are borne on a spike 40–150 mm (2–6 in) tall. The sepals and petals have thick, flat, bayonet-shaped glandular tips 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) and curve downwards. The dorsal sepal is erect, 15–30 mm (0.6–1 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and curves forward. The lateral sepals are 15–30 mm (0.6–1 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and the petals are 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide. The labellum is egg-shaped, 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long and 8–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide with its end curving downwards. It is yellowish-green with a red tip and there are usually a few short teeth along its edges. There are four crowded rows of club-shaped, reddish-black calli along the centre line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from July to October.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia gladiolata was first formally described by Richard Sanders Rogers in 1907 and the description was published in Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia.[1][5] The specific epithet (gladiolatus) is derived from the Latin word gladius meaning "a sword".[6]

Distribution and habitat

The small bayonet spider orchid occurs in the Flinders Ranges, Northern Lofty and Southern Lofty botanical regions of South Australia where it grows in shrubby or grassy woodland and forest in well-drained soil. It is currently only known from three or four populations.[2][3][4]

Conservation

Caladenia gladiolata is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The main threats to the species are weed invasion, grazing and lack of pollination.[7]

References
  1. "Caladenia gladiolata". APNI. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  2. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 70. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. "Caladenia gladiolata". State Herbarium of South Australia: efloraSA. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  4. "Bayonet Spider-orchid Caladenia gladiolata" (PDF). Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  5. Rogers, Richard Sanders (1907). "Three new species of orchid". Transactions, Proceedings and Report, Royal Society of South Australia. 31: 210–211. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 776.
  7. "Recovery plan for twelve threatened orchids in the Lofty block region of South Australia" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
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