Caladenia australis
G.W.Carr Southern Spider-orchidFlowering plant 12–30 (rarely to 40) cm tall. Leaf 8–17 cm long, 4–11 mm wide. Flowers solitary (rarely 2); perianth segments 2–4 cm long, yellowish-cream with a red central stripe, dorsal sepal incurved to drooping, lateral sepals and petals divergent, drooping; sepals flattened at base, 2–4 mm wide, tapered to a filiform, clubbed tail, club 4–14 mm long, with dark red-purple, contiguous, sessile glands; petals shorter than sepals, flattened at base, tapered to long acuminate apex. Labellum curved forward with apex recurved and lateral lobes erect, lamina ovate, 3-lobed, c. 12–15 mm long and c. 9 mm wide (when flattened), mostly dull, deep red, paler at base (without darker veins); marginal calli on lateral lobes linear or swollen apically, c. 1.5 mm long, diminishing in size towards entire, scalloped or broadly toothed mid-lobe; lamina calli in 4 or 6 rows, dull, barely extending beyond bend, linear to foot-shaped, to 2 mm long at base of lamina, decreasing in size towards apex. Flowers Sep.–Nov.
GleP, VVP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, CVU, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, OtR, Strz. SA, ?NSW, Tas. Widespread in coastal and subcoastal heathy woodlands, usually on well-drained sandy soils.
Although uncommon, this is one of the most widespread of the taxa in the C. reticulata complex. Characterized by its colour and the drooping perianth segments.
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Orchidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 740–901. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning