Caladenia radiata Nicholls 1949 SUBGENUS Arachnorchis Photo by Ron Heberle and the Thelymitra Page of The Species Orchid Society of Western Australia
Photos by © Colin & Mischa Rowan and their The Retireed Aussies Website
Common Name The Rayed Caladenia - The Ray Spider Orchid
Flower Size 2" to 2.4" [5 to 6 cm]
Found in south west and western Western Australia at elevations up to 200 meters in low lying very wet areas as well as the edges of swamps as a medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with an erect, short, pilose stem carrying a large, linear, acute, pilose, conduplicate below into the clasping base leaf and another very small, linear, acute one just above the middle that blooms in the spring on a 12 to 18" [30 to 45 cm] long, 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence.
This is the wettest growing Caladenia and fire does promote flowering as well as new plants and pollination is by thynnid wasps in the act of pseudocopulation.
Synonyms Arachnorchis radiata (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.. 2001; Calonema radiata (Nicholls) Szlach. 2001; Calonemorchis radiata (Nicholls) Szlach. 2001
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Australia Nicholls 1969 drawing fide; Orchids of Australia Riley & Banks 2002; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006 as Arachnorchis radiata photo fide;
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