28 July 2008

Caladenia heberleana - Heberle's Spider Orchid

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Caladenia heberleana - Heberle's Spider Orchid

If you have already checked my post on a similar looking orchid Caladenia decora, you will appreciated the main differences between these plants, that being the length and inflation of the densely glandular ends of the sepals and petals (clubbed section). With this species being much longer 20 - 50+ mm (1"-2") and not inflated. This difference becomes more important when the sepals and petals have greater pink/red markings and can appear very similar to C. decora.

The orchids above were photographed after a summer bushfire, this increases the flowering activity of many orchids including Heberle's Spider Orchid, but they can still be found without this influence in low lying areas, particularly around ephemeral swamps. Normal flowering period is September and October.