caladenia

Illustration of sixteen West Australian orchids from the genus Caladenia, by Emily Pelloe.

Illustration of fourteen West Australian orchids, by Emily Pelloe.

Caladenia [kal-a-dean-ee-er] from kalos, beautiful, and adenos, a gland, referring to the glands on the lip, and the great beauty of the Species generally.

A large genus of hairy plants, with several species in New Zealand, and between 60 and 70 endemic to Australia, and chiefly represented in Western Australia. Caldenia species are readily distinguished by the rows of calli or glandular hairs upon the lip Leaf solitary, linear-lanceolate or oblong. Flowers solitary or very few in a loose raceme, variously coloured. Dorsal sepal usually erect or incurved over the column, while the lateral petals and the other two sepals are somewhat flat and spreading. The length and shape of the petals and sepals vary considerably in the different species which are divided into easily defined sections.  … Read more

The Pink Fairy Orchid (Caladenia latifolia) is species of orchid found across southern Australia. The flowers may be solitary or in an inflorescence of a few flowers and appear during August – October.