Caladenia harringtoniae

Caladenia harringtoniae, commonly known as the pink spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and up to three pale to deep pink flowers which have a cream-coloured labellum with a pink tip.

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

Calonemorchis harringtoniae (Hopper & A.P.Br.) Szlach. and Rutk.

Description

Caladenia harringtoniae is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, 150–250 mm (6–10 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. Up to three flowers 70–100 mm (3–4 in) long and 50–70 mm (2–3 in) wide are borne on a stalk 200–400 mm (8–20 in) tall. The flowers are pale pink to deep pink with spreading lateral sepals and petals. The dorsal sepal is erect, 45–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide, the lateral sepals are 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and the petals are 35–45 mm (1–2 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The labellum is cream-coloured, 13–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long and 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide with a pink tip. The sides of the labellum have erect, spreading, red teeth up to 5 mm (0.2 in) long and there are four rows of pink calli up to 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from mid-September to early November.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia harringtoniae was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown from a specimen collected near Pemberton and the description was published in Nuytsia.[1] The specific epithet (harringtoniae) honours Alison Harrington, a president of the Western Australia Native Orchid Study Group.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The pink spider orchid occurs between Nannup and Albany in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions, where it grows swamps and flat areas that are flooded in winter.[2][3][4][5][6]

Conservation

Caladenia harringtoniae is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife[5] and as "vulnerable" by the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The main threats to the species are fire during its growth and flowering period, grazing by feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and road maintenance activities.[6]

References
  1. "Caladenia harringtoniae". 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. 56. 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. 82. ISBN 9780980296457.
  4. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 115. ISBN 9780646562322.
  5. "Caladenia harringtoniae". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. "Approved Conservation Advice for Caladenia harringtoniae (Harrington's Spider-orchid)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
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