Plantsnap – Identify Plants, Trees, Mushrooms With An App

Caladenia aperta (Caladenia aperta)

Description

Caladenia aperta is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, hairy leaf, 30–50 mm (1–2 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. Usually only one bluish-mauve flower about 20 mm (0.8 in) long and wide is borne on a stalk 50–150 mm (2–6 in) tall. On rare occasions the flower is white and the bluish flowers are a lighter colour on the outside. The dorsal sepal is erect, 11–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals have about the same dimensions as the dorsal sepal although the lateral sepals are slightly wider. The labellum is 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and wide and reddish-mauve with darker bars. The sides of the labellum curve upwards but without surrounding the column. The labellum has a white and yellow down-curved tip and there are two rows of stalked yellow calli along the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from August to early October.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Liliopsida

          • Order: Asparagales

            • Family: Orchidaceae

              • Genus: Caladenia