Caladenia roei
Caladenia roei is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is also known as the common clown orchid, clown orchid, ant orchid, man orchid and jack-in-the-box. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three greenish-yellow and red flowers with a relatively broad labellum. It is a common orchid throughout the south-west and is especially common on granite outcrops.
Description
Caladenia roei is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, long and about wide. Up to three greenish-yellow and red flowers long, wide are borne on a stalk tall. The sepals have thick, yellowish-brown, club-like glandular ends long. The dorsal sepal is erect, long, about wide and often curves gently forward. The lateral sepals and petals are about the same size as the dorsal sepal and turn obliquely downward and form a crucifix-like shape. The labellum is long, wide and greenish-yellow with a small red tip which curls under. The sides of the labellum are smooth, lacking teeth but there is a dense band of dark reddish-purple, calli up to long, in the middle of the labellum. Flowering occurs from August to October.
Taxonomy and naming
Caladenia roei was first described in 1873 by Alex George and the description was published in Flora Australiensis. The specific epithet honours John Septimus Roe.
The clown orchid is found across a wide area of the south-west of Western Australia from as far north as the Murchison River, [Western Australia|Murchison River] to as far east as Ravensthorpe where it grows in a range of habitats but is especially common on granite outcrops.
Conservation
Caladenia roei is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of [Parks and Wildlife (Western Australia)|Department of Parks and Wildlife].