Caladenia radialis
Caladenia radialis, commonly known as the drooping spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two red and cream-coloured flowers. In good seasons it forms clumps of up to ten plants.
Description
Caladenia radialis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which often forms clumps of up to ten plants after good rainfall. It has a single erect, hairy leaf, long and about wide. One or two red and cream-coloured flowers long and wide are borne on a stalk tall. The sepals and petals have long, brown, drooping thread-like tips. The dorsal sepal curves forward and is long and about wide. The lateral sepals and petals have about the same dimensions as the dorsal sepal although the lateral sepals are slightly wider. The labellum is long, wide and cream-coloured with red lines. The sides of the labellum sometimes have a few short teeth, the tip is curled under and there is a dense band of red or cream-coloured calli along the mid-line. Flowering occurs from August to early October.
Taxonomy and naming
Caladenia radialis was first described in 1927 by Richard Rogers from a specimen collected near Dowerin and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word radius meaning "ray", "rod" or "spoke", referring to the radiating red lines on the labellum.
Distribution and habitat
The drooping spider orchid is found between the Fitzgerald River National Park and Northampton in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee biogeographic regions where it grows in a range of habitats including on granite outcrops and near the edges of salt lakes.
Conservation
Caladenia radialis is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.