Caladenia granitora

Caladenia granitora, commonly known as the granite spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two yellowish-cream, white and red flowers which have a white labellum with a red tip.

Granite spider orchid

Declared rare (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. granitora
Binomial name
Caladenia granitora
Synonyms[1]

Description

Caladenia granitora is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, 100–180 mm (4–7 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. One or two flowers 60–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 30–50 mm (1–2 in) wide are borne on a stalk 200–350 mm (8–10 in) tall. The flowers are yellowish-cream, white and red while the lateral sepals have thin, club-like, yellowish-brown glandular tips. The lateral sepals and petals spread widely or curve gently downwards. The dorsal sepal is erect, 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide at the base and the lateral sepals and petals are 35–40 mm (1–2 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The labellum is mostly white, 18–22 mm (0.7–0.9 in) long and 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide but the tip of the labellum is red and points forward. The sides of the labellum have spreading, reddish teeth up to 4 mm (0.2 in) long and there are four rows of deep red calli up to 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to November.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia granitora was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown from a specimen collected near Mount Manypeaks and the description was published in Nuytsia.[1] The specific epithet (granitora) is derived from the Latin words graniticus meaning "of granite" and ora meaning "the coast", referring to the habitat preference of this species.[3][5]

Distribution and habitat

The granite spider orchid occurs between Mount Manypeaks and Cheyne Beach in the Waychinicup National Park where it grows in heath on coastal granite ourcrops.[2][3][4][6][7]

Conservation

Surveys of Caladenia granitora recorded a total of 63 individuals in four populations. In 2014, the species was classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[6] The main threats to the species are recreational activities, road maintenance, altered fire regimes and small population size.[7]

References
  1. "Caladenia granitora". APNI. Retrieved 9 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. 81. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 120. ISBN 9780980296457.
  4. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 139. ISBN 9780646562322.
  5. Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780958034180.
  6. "Caladenia granitora". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  7. Luu, Robyn; Brown, Andrew. "Interim Recovery Plan No. 361 Granite Spider Orchid (Caladenia granitora)" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
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