Splendid Spider Orchid
Caladenia splendens
Synonyms
- Arachnorchis splendens
- Calonemorchis splendens
Notes
Flowering in September and October, the Splendid Spider Orchid is endemic to south-western WA where it can be encountered from near Jurien Bay in the north to the Lake Muir and Frankland River areas in the south. It would appear to be generally more common in inland areas along the Darling Scarp, western Wheatbelt and adjacent Great Southern, while being mostly absent from near-coastal areas and the lower Southwest. The Splendid Spider Orchid grows in a wide range of different and generally damp habitats, including moist forests, winter-wet flats, rainwater runoff areas along the edges of granite outcrops and the edges of rivers and swamps.
While it looks rather similar to the common and widespread White Spider Orchid (Caladenia longicauda), the Splendid Spider Orchid immediately stands out due to its sheer size. The plants can stand up to 80 cm tall with large, white flowers that are about twice the size of those of the White Spider Orchid. This makes the Splendid Spider Orchid one of the tallest and largest-flowered species of Spider Orchid in Australia. Smaller specimens can potentially be confused with the White Spider Orchid, though, in particular as both species are often found growing alongside each other in the same habitat.
Photos
References
- Caladenia splendens in the Australian Plant Name Index
- Caladenia splendens in the Atlas of Living Australia
- Caladenia splendens in the Western Australian FloraBase