Daddy-long-legs
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Caladenia
Species:
C. filamentosa
Binomial name
Caladenia filamentosa
Synonyms[1]
  • Calonema filamentosum (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Calonema filamentosum (R.Br.) Szlach.
  • Calonemorchis filamentosa (R.Br.) Szlach.
  • Jonesiopsis filamentosa (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Caladenia filamentosa, commonly known as daddy-long-legs, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to four, usually dark red flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals.

Description

Caladenia filamentosa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which sometimes grows in dense clumps. It has a single, densely hairy, narrow linear leaf, 10–18 cm (4–7 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. One or two, rarely up to four, usually dark red flowers are borne on a spike 300–450 mm (10–20 in) high. Sometimes the flowers are pale red or reddish-green. The dorsal sepal is erect, 50–70 mm (2–3 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide with its edges turned in. The lateral sepals and petals have long, dark, thread-like, glandular tips which sometimes tangle with other plants. The lateral sepals are a similar size to the dorsal sepal whilst the petals are slightly shorter. The labellum is egg-shaped or oblong, 5.5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide with its end curving forwards. It is red with darker markings and there are many short, broad teeth along its edges. There are two rows of flattened calli along the centre line of the labellum but not extending to the tip. Flowering occurs from September to November.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Caladenia filamentosa was first formally described by Robert Brown in 1810 and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.[1][5] The specific epithet (filamentosa) is derived from the Latin word filamentum meaning "a thread filament" with the suffix -osa meaning "abounding in".[6]

Distribution and habitat

The daddy long-legs orchid has a widespread distribution but is rarely common. It grows in forest and scrub in well-drained soil. In New South Wales it mostly occurs in drier inland areas, in Victoria it is widespread, in South Australia it only occurs in the far south-eastern corner and in Tasmania in the eastern half of the state.[2][3][4][7][8]

Conservation

Caladenia filamentosa is listed as "Rare" under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Caladenia filamentosa". APNI. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  2. 1 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. 103. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Caladenia filamentosa". Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria: VicFlora. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  4. 1 2 Bernhardt, Peter. "Caladenia filamentosa". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  5. ↑ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 324. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 198. ISBN 9780958034180.
  7. ↑ "Caladenia filamentosa". State Herbarium of South Australia: efloraSA. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Caladenia filamentosa". Government of Tasmania Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
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