''Caladenia pallida'', commonly known as the rosy spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single dark green, hairy leaf and one or two yellowish to bright, rosy pink flowers. Individual plants of this species have not been seen since 1987.

Description

''Caladenia pallida'' is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous,

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

with a small underground tuber. It has a single, dark green, very hairy, lance-shaped leaf, long and wide. One or two yellowish to bright, rosy pink flowers about across are borne on a stalk tall. The sepals have dark glandular tips long. The dorsal sepal is erect, long and wide. The lateral sepals are long, wide and spread widely and stiffly but with drooping tips. The petals are long and about wide, and arranged like the lateral sepals. The labellum is long, wide and has its tip rolled under. There are five to eight linear teeth up to long on each side of the labellum and four rows of hockey stick-shaped calli along its mid-line. Flowering occurs in October and November.

Taxonomy and naming

''Caladenia pallida'' was first described in 1840 by

John Lindley John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

and the description was published in ''The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''pallida'') is a Latin word meaning "ashen", "pale" or "wan".

Distribution and habitat

The rosy spider orchid has mostly been recorded in the central north and north-west of Tasmania, growing in open forest although the last sighting of the species was in 1987 on private land. Earlier collections were made between

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

and New Norfolk.

Conservation

''Caladenia pallida'' is classified as "Critically Endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as "Endangered" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. The main threats to the species are thought to be accidental damage due to the small population size, climate change and inappropriate fire regimes.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15287642

pallida This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants i ...

Endemic orchids of Australia Orchids of Tasmania Plants described in 1840