Caladenia sp. aff. iridescens (Chapple Vale)
Flowering plant slender, 20–30 cm tall. Leaf linear, 10–20 cm long, 2–3 mm wide. Flowers 1 or 2, mostly golden yellow, paler towards base of perianth segments; ovary c. 8 mm long; perianth segments 11–13 mm long, c. 3 mm wide, acute, both sides with scattered glands, but denser on exterior surface; dorsal sepal more or less hooded, curved at about middle, embracing column, linear-obovate; lateral sepals and petals spreading, curved upwards at the apices, linear-lanceolate, asymmetric, lateral sepals slightly broader than petals and widely divergent. Labellum on short claw, 3-lobed, c. 8 mm long (when flattened), whitish below, with red or purple transverse bars above; lateral lobes entire, with a triangular distal edge; mid-lobe triangular, recurved, glandular, dark purple, fringed with stalked, granular-headed, purple calli becoming sessile towards apex; lamina calli in 4 crowded rows basally, grading to 2 rows and ending well before labellum apex, heads purple and granular. Column incurved, narrowly winged at base, expanded above, with red or purple markings; anther with short point. Flowers Dec.–Jan.
OtP. Known currently from a single locality near Chapple Vale in the Otway Ranges where it grows in heathy woodland on sandy soil.
Distinguished from C. iridescens and C. transitoria in having golden yellow flowers which appear in summer.
Only about half a dozen plants have ever been seen at the single known locality, so it is most likely endangered.