The White-beauty Spider-orchid is a terrestrial herb with a robust, rigid flowering stem that grows to 60 cm in height, and is covered in white hairs. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, grow to 20 cm in length and have long silky hairs. There are usually one or two striking white flowers that grow to 10 cm in length but without a discernible scent. Sepals grow to 15 cm in length, are droopy and creamy with tips dark and glandular for up to 5 cm and are not clubbed. Petals are similar but smaller. The labellum is broad and usually white but rarely has a pink blush. Marginal calli are short, often dark and the lamina has 6-8 rows of puplish or white topped calli that vary in shape from club-shapped to linear. The collumn is apprximately 1.5 cm in height, is broadly winged and has yellow basal glands with red markings.
White-beauty Spider-orchid |
Caladenia argocalla
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Caladenia argocalla
There is anecdotal evidence from a fire at Harrogate in January 2007 that suggests the species may be fire sensitive (Quarmby 2010).
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