CALADENIA (Spider orchids)

The name derives from Calos meaning beautiful and Aden meaning glands referring to the colourful labellum and the glistening glands at the base of the column that adorn many of the species.

The genus was described by Robert Brown in 1810 from specimens that he sighted in most Australian states, as a member of Matthew Flinders' mapping and exploration visit that circumnavigated Australia. Brown, with assistants, spent just over three years in Australia on botanical research.

The species are terrestrial and usually have a single hairy leaf. They are mostly Australian and are from its southern areas. There are four species in New Zealand and another extends to New Caledonia, Indonesia and Malaysia. The South West corner of Western Australia contains the most spectacular and numerous species, varieties and natural hybrids. The huge variation of form and colour of the species leads to a bewildering array and abundance of hybrids. Many are morphologically difficult to separate with some defying separation at present.

Recent taxonomy revisions have, apparently, largely increased the number of species and split the genus into separate groups. For example, Caladenia filamentosa has been split into about forty different species and sub species. This further complicates the issues of identification. The orchids in this gallery and their names and descriptions are the result of my forty plus years of field research. They are all naturally occurring plants. I have named hybrids only if I found the parent species growing in close proximity to them. Similar hybrids found in different locations in the presence - of the same parent species support my determinations.
For example, Caladena ericksonea is, in my opinion, no doubt a naturally occurring hybrid of C. doutchiae and the red C. filamentosa and also of the hybrid of C. cairnsiana and the red C. filamentosa.

Whilst colour is an unreliable guide to identification with hybrids, it comes through strongly from one parent or the other for most hybrids whatever the parent species

Caladenia have generally proven difficult to maintain and cultivate artificially with those removed from their habitat rarely surviving more than a few years.
The clumping of many of the species could be a result of tuber division or it could be because the seeds fall at the base of their parents and grow there.

The galleries demonstrate the huge variation within colonies and phytogeographic variation over the range north to south and east to west with ever changing climatic and habitat situations over the 15million hectares of the South West of Western Australia.

Ron Heberle, January 2003.

Caladenia applanata, Mutton Bird Island

Caladenia attingens, WilsonsInlet

Caladenia brownii, Tone River

Possible hybrid Caladenia brownii x Caladenia serotina, Youngs Siding, Nov 1980

Possible hybrid Caladenia brownii x Caladenia radiata, Tone River, Nov 1980

Caladenia bryceana, Sep 1992

Caladenia caesarea, Tenterden, Nov 1992

Caladenia cairnsiana, Green Range, Nov 1973

Possible hybrid Caladenia cairnsiana x Caladenia doutchiae, Sep 1983

Possible hybrid Caladenia cairnsiana x Caladenia filamentosa, Cranbrook, Sep 1975

Caladenia chapmanii, Wagin, Sep 1976

Possible hybrid Caladenia chapmanii x Caladenia eminens, Dinninup, Oct 1985

Caladenia corynephora, Lake Seppings, Albany, Dec 1979

Possible hybrid Caladenia corynephora x Caladenia radiata, Lake Sadie, Nov 1981

Possible hybrid Caladenia corynephora x Caladenia serotina, Lake Sadie, Nov 1986

Caladenia cristata, Lake King, Oct 1992

Possible hybrid Caladenia cristata x Caladenia doutchiae, Hyden Aug 1980

Caladenia dilatata, Wilsons Inlet, Aug 1984

Possible hybrid Caladenia dilatata x Caladenia patersonii, Gordon Bridge, Sep 1985

Possible hybrid Caladenia discoidea x Caladenia hirta, Toolibin, Sep 1978

Possible hybrid Caladenia discoidea x Caladenia longiclavata, Gordon Bridge, Sep 1986

Caladenia dorrienii, Cranbrook, Sep 1975

Caladenia doutchiae, Wedin, Sep 1992

Possible hybrid Caladenia doutchiae x Caladenia filamentosa, Boxwood Hills, Aug 1974

Possible hybrid Caladenia doutchiae x Caladenia radialis, Toolibin Sep1983

Caladenia drummondii, Kulin, May 1987

Caladenia eminens, Sep 1990

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia lobata, Frankland Oct1992

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia falcata, Bullaring, Sep 1982

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia hirta, Wongan Hills, Sep 1979

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia lobata, Rocky Gully, Sep 1990

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia longiclavata, Sheepwash, Sep 1997

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia pectinata, Unicup, Oct 1991

Possible hybrid Caladenia eminens x Caladenia serotina, Oct 1988

Caladenia ensata, Frankland, Nov 1978

Possible hybrid Caladenia ensata x Caladenia longiclavata, Sheepwash, Albany, Sep 1997

Caladenia eriksoniae, Green Range, Sep 1978

Caladenia falcata, Wansborough, Oct 1986

Caladenia ferruginea, Mt Barker, Oct 1994

Possible hybrid Caladenia ferruginea x Caladenia infundibularis, Karridale, Nov 1984

Possible hybrid Caladenia ferruginea x Caladenia patersonii, Greenbushes, Nov 1981

Possible hybrid Caladenia ferruginea x Caladenia pectinata, Mt Barker, Sep 1995

Caladenia filamentosa, Wedin, Sep 1995

Possible hybrid Caladenia filamentosa x Caladenia patersonii, Lake Grace, Sep 1984

Possible hybrid Caladenia filamentosa x Caladenia radialis, Kondinin, Sep 1995

Possible hybrid Caladenia filamentosa x Caladenia roei, Toolibin, Sep 1982

Caladenia filifera, Jerramungup, Nov 1976

Possible hybrid Caladenia filifera x Caladenia multiclavia, Jerramungup, Sep 1999

Caladenia flava, Spencer Park, Albany, Oct 1988

Possible hybrid Caladenia flava x Caladenia latifolia, Youngs Siding, Sep 1987

Possible hybrid Caladenia flava x Caladenia reptans, Carbadine Pool, Sep 1995

Possible hybrid Caladenia flava x Caladenia marginata, Lake Muir, Sep 1986

Possible hybrid Caladenia flava x Caladenia nana, Nornalup, Sep 1978

Possible hybrid Caladenia flava x Caladenia triangularis, Frankland, Oct 1984

Caladenia gardneri, Broke Inlet to Windy Harbour, Oct 1991

Possible hybrid Caladenia gardneri x Caladenia latifolia, Augusta, Oct 1992

Caladenia graminifolia, Boxwood Hills, Aug 1988

Caladenia harringtoniae, Manjimup, Oct 1985

Possible hybrid Caladenia harringtoniae x Caladenia uliginosa, Manjimup, Oct 1985

Caladenia pectinata, Caladenia heberleanaï¿½(2x), Emu Point, Albany, Sep 1993

Caladenia hirta, Albany, Sep 1979

Possible hybrid Caladenia hirta x Caladenia patersonii, Jerramungup, Sep 1987

Caladenia huegelii, Green Range, Oct 1975

Possible hybrid Caladenia huegeliiï¿½ x Caladenia longacauda, Bunbury, Oct 1986

Possible hybrid Caladenia huegeliiï¿½ x Caladenia longiclavata, Poorarecup, Sep 1985

Possible hybrid Caladenia huegeliiï¿½ x Caladenia patersonii, Manjimup, Oct 1981

Possible hybrid Caladenia huegeliiï¿½ x Caladenia pectinata, Poorarecup, Nov 1988

Caladenia infundibularis, Karridale, Oct 1978

Caladenia integra, Wagin, Oct 1984

Caladenia latifolia, Ledge beach, Sep 1987

Caladenia lobata, Mt Barker, Nov 1988

Possible hybrid Caladenia lobata x Caladenia longicauda

Possible hybrid Caladenia lobata x Caladenia radiata, Tone Bridge, Nov 1980

Caladenia longicauda, Rocky Gully, Nov 1976

Caladenia longiclavata, Williams, Sep 1994

Possible hybrid Caladenia longiclavata x Caladenia macrostylis, Poorarecup, Sep 1982

Possible hybrid Caladenia longiclavata x Caladenia magniclavata, Narrikup, Sep 1979

Possible hybrid Caladenia longiclavata x Caladenia patersonii, Manjimup, Oct 1986

Possible hybrid Caladenia longiclavata x Caladenia pectinata, Sheepwash, Sep 1997

Possible hybrid Caladenia longiclavata x Caladenia rhomboidiformis, Alexandra Bridge, Oct 1977

Caladenia magniclavata, Jerramungup, Sep 1987

Caladenia marginata, Bakers Junction, Nov 1974

Caladenia multiclavia, Jerramungup, Sep 1987

Possible hybrid Caladenia multiclavia x Caladenia roei, Jerramungup, Sep 1983

Caladenia nana, Pardelup, Oct 1987

Caladenia patersonii, Pardelup, Oct 1982

Possible hybrid Caladenia patersonii x Caladenia radiata, Frankland, Nov 1982

Caladenia pectinata, Rocky Gully, Sep 1992

Possible hybrid Caladenia pectinata x Caladenia radiata, Frankland, Nov 1982

Caladenia pholcoidea, Manypeaks, Nov1976

Caladenia plicata, Manjimup, Sep 1987

Caladenia radialis, Wedin, Sep 1995

Possible hybrid Caladenia radialis x Caladenia roei, Wedin, Aug 1972

Caladenia radiata, Lake Sadie, Nov 1987

Possible hybrid Caladenia radiata x Caladenia serotina, Manjimup, Nov 1983

Caladenia reptans, Broome Hill, Sep 1990

Caladenia saccharata, Peak Charles, Aug 1984

Caladenia serotina, Redmond, Dec 1979

Caladenia sigmoidea, Aug 1984

Caladenia triangularis, Gordon Bridge, Sep 1994

Caladenia uliginosa, Lake Muir, Sep 1987

Caladenia unita, Manjimup, Oct 1984

Caladenia voigtii, Lake King, Sep 1992

Caladenia wanosa, Murchison River, Aug 1980