Caladenia cucullata
W.Fitzg. Hooded CaladeniaFlowering plant slender, 10–35 cm tall, reddish. Leaf linear, 6–20 cm long, 1–5 mm wide. Flowers 1–5 (–7), white, compressed vertically; ovary c. 5 mm long; perianth segments 8–13 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, acute or shortly pointed, outside with dark, purplish, brownish or greenish sessile glands; dorsal sepal strongly hooded, bent at near right-angles about middle, embracing column, elongate-obovate; lateral sepals and petals spreading horizontally, often curved upwards distally, narrowly elliptic or obovate, asymmetric, sepals broader than petals. Labellum on short claw, 3-lobed, 5–6 mm long (when flattened), white with purplish apex and calli; lateral lobes erect to slightly spreading, margins entire; mid-lobe tightly recurved, broadly oblong, thickened, margins fringed with calli that are roughened and minutely toothed (i.e. with angular papillae), apex acute; lamina calli in four rows, extending from base to apex, becoming sessile and irregularly arranged towards apex, clubbed, heads roughened and variable in colour (from dark to whitish). Column erect at base, the upper third abruptly bent forward, widely winged above, spotted with red; anther with short point. Flowers Oct.–Nov.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also SA, NSW, ACT. Scattered through dry forest, usually on poor sandy or stony soil, locally common through the goldfield country of central Victoria. Its occurrence near Cann River is based on a single collection and its occurrence there requires confirmation.
Caladenia cucullata differs from C. moschata in having generally smaller, more compressed (vertically), lightly fragrant flowers in a shorter, more compact raceme. The labellum of C. cucullata has a deeply coloured, purple tip, and roughened and minutely toothed (rather than granular) calli on the margin and lamina.
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
