Caladenia clarkiae
D.L.JonesFlowering plant slender, 5–17 cm tall. Leaf linear, 4–10 cm long, 1–2 mm wide. Flowers 1–4, white or pale pink with darker pink tips; ovary c. 5 mm long; perianth segments 9–13 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, acute, sometimes narrowly tapered, outer surfaces with scattered, light-red, stalked and sessile glands near tip; dorsal sepal hooded, curved at about middle, embracing column, linear-obovate; lateral sepals and petals spreading, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, asymmetric, lateral sepals broader than petals. Labellum on short claw, obscurely 3-lobed, 6–7 mm long (when flattened), white with pink spots and blotches; lateral lobes with basal margins entire, distal margin fringed with 'golf-stick shaped' calli extending onto mid-lobe; mid-lobe re-curved, purple, distal margins toothed; lamina calli in 4 rows, extending to base of mid-lobe, stalked and yellow at base of labellum, sessile and white distally. Column erect at base, upper third bent forward, narrowly winged, with red markings; anther with short point. Flowers Sep.–Nov.
GipP, CVU, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, MonT, VAlp. Also NSW (southern). Found in eastern Victoria in open-forest of lowlands or drier uplands, usually on well-drained sandy clay loam.
Differs from C. praecox in usually having pale pink or white flowers, petals and lateral sepals narrower and with tapering apices, and a narrower labellum with few marginal calli and more crowded lamina calli.
Differs from C. hildae in its earlier flowering season, usually pale pink or white flowers with the perianth segments not strongly decurved towards the tip.
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Orchidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 740–901. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
