Caladenia pendens subsp. pendens
Caladenia pendens subsp. pendens, commonly known as the pendant spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three relatively large, creamy-white flowers with long drooping petals and sepals and sometimes has a sickly-sweet scent.
Description
Caladenia pendens subsp. pendens is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, long and about wide. Up to three creamy-white flowers long and wide are borne on a spike tall. The sepals and petals have long, brown, drooping, thread-like tips. The dorsal sepal is erect, long and wide. The lateral sepals are long and wide, turned downwards near their bases but then drooping. The petals are long and wide, spreading horizontally near their bases then drooping. The labellum is long, wide and creamy-white with red lines and spots. The sides of the labellum curve upwards and have short blunt teeth on their sides and the tip of the labellum curves downwards. There are two rows of cream-coloured, anvil-shaped calli along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from August to early October.
Taxonomy and naming
Caladenia pendens was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown and the description was published in Nuytsia. At the same time they described two subspecies, including subspecies pendens. The specific epithet is a Latin word meaning "hanging" referring to the long drooping petals and lateral sepals.
Distribution and habitat
The pendant spider orchid is found between Wongan Hills and Walpole in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions. It grows in sandy soil near salt lakes and on granite outcrops.
Conservation
Caladenia pendens subsp. pendens is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.