Grand Spider Orchid
Caladenia huegelii
Synonyms
- Arachnorchis huegelii
- Calonema huegelii
- Calonemorchis huegelii
Notes
The Grand Spider Orchid is restricted to the coastal plain between Perth and Dunsborough in south-western Australia where it grows in sandy soils in mixed Banksia and Eucalyptus woodland. The common English name of the species is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is fairly modest in size and easily overlooked in the dense undergrowth of its typical woodland habitat. Flowering in early to mid spring, it is now quite rare, as most of its former habitat has been destroyed.
While superficially similar to several other species of Spider Orchid, most notably the Carousel Spider Orchid (Caladenia arenicola) and the Tuart Spider Orchid (Caladenia georgei), the Grand Spider Orchid is readily distinguished from those species by its somewhat longer, narrower and drooping rather than pendulous lateral sepals and its disproportionately large labellum with extremely long, rugged and often split fringe segments. It also occurs further inland than the near-coastal Tuart Spider Orchid, and both species have not been found growing together. From the Carousel Spider Orchid it is additionally distinguished by its pointed rather than clubbed petals.
The Grand Spider Orchid also looks very similar to the Scott River Spider Orchid (Caladenia thinicola), but is distinguished from that species by its much larger labellum and slightly different colour. The geographic ranges of the two species do not generally overlap with the exception of a small area at the northern end of the Leeuwin–Naturalise Ridge near Dunsborough.
Photos
References
- Caladenia huegelii in the Australian Plant Name Index
- Caladenia huegelii in the Atlas of Living Australia
- Caladenia huegelii in the Western Australian FloraBase