Australian Native Plants

  Caladenia leptochila (Narrow-lip Spider Orchid)


Caladenia leptochila photo
Caladenia leptochila

Photograph by Jim from Adelaide, Australia. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




PLANT FACTS

distribution map showing range of Caladenia leptochila in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Narrow-lip Spider Orchid

Description
The Narrow-lip Spider Orchid is a terrestrial orchid with a narrow labellum or lip. The dorsal sepal is curved upwards, the lateral petals and sepals also curve upwards somewhat and are narrow and taper to a point forming a star shape. Flowering is in spring from September to November. The flowers are yellow greenish and often have red markings on the labellum and dorsal sepal. The flowering stems grow to 45 cm tall with one or two flowers per stem. The leaves are long and hairy. It is similar to the Kangaroo Island Spider-orchid (Caladenia ovata ).

Habitat
woodland, forest

Distribution
Caladenia leptochila is found in scattered populations in south east New South Wales, Victoria and south east South Australia.

Growth Characteristics
Height: 45cm
Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Caladenia
Species:leptochila
Common Name:Narrow-lip Spider Orchid


Relatives in same Genus
  Caladenia ampla
  Caladenia arenicola
  Caladenia carnea
  Caladenia catenata
  Caladenia clavigera
  Caladenia crebra
  Caladenia cruciformis
  Caladenia flava
  Caladenia fulva
  Caladenia fuscata
  Caladenia gracilis
  Caladenia integra
  Caladenia latifolia
  Caladenia longicauda
  Caladenia moschata
  Caladenia paludosa
  Caladenia roei
  Caladenia tentaculata
  Caladenia ustulata
  Caladenia venusta
  Caladenia versicolor
  see A-Z list for more ...