Australian Native Plants

  Caladenia venusta (Large White Spider Orchid)


Caladenia venusta photo
Australian orchid, the Large White Spider Orchid (Caladenia venusta)

Photograph by Trex21. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




PLANT FACTS

distribution map showing range of Caladenia venusta in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Large White Spider Orchid

Description
The Large White Spider Orchid is a medium sized white or pale pink flowering terrestrial orchid with reddish purple markings in the centre of the flower. The lateral sepals and petals are white or pinkish with long "tails" and droop downwards. The labellum or lip has reddish toothed margin and reddish warts or bumps known as calli. Flowers are produced in spring on long upright stems with one or two flowers per stem. It is listed as rare in Victoria and vulnerable in South Australia (The Atlas of Living Australia).

Habitat
heathland, open forest, woodland

Distribution
Caladenia venusta is found in Victoria, south eastern corner of South Australia

Growth Characteristics
Height: 60cm
Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Caladenia
Species:venusta
Common Name:Large White Spider Orchid


Relatives in same Genus
  Caladenia ampla
  Caladenia arenicola
  Caladenia carnea
  Caladenia catenata
  Caladenia clavigera
  Caladenia crebra
  Caladenia cruciformis
  Caladenia flava
  Caladenia fulva
  Caladenia fuscata
  Caladenia gracilis
  Caladenia integra
  Caladenia latifolia
  Caladenia leptochila
  Caladenia longicauda
  Caladenia moschata
  Caladenia paludosa
  Caladenia roei
  Caladenia tentaculata
  Caladenia ustulata
  Caladenia versicolor
  see A-Z list for more ...