Caladenia dilatata
R.Br.Flowering plant 20–35 cm tall. Leaf 6–13 cm long, 6–8 mm wide, often spotted red at base, sometimes senescent at flowering time. Flower solitary; perianth segments 4–6 cm long, green with red central stripe, bearing thickened yellow apical osmophores 5–15 mm long; dorsal sepal erect, 2–2.5 mm wide, tip drooping; lateral sepals projected forwards stiffly, parallel or crossed, asymmetric, dilated at base, 3–3.5 mm wide, tapered to a filiform tail; petals deflexed, 1.5–2 mm wide. Labellum loosely hinged, curved forward with lateral lobes erect and tip of mid-lobe curved under, prominently 3-lobed, 14–17 mm long and 13–17 mm wide (when flattened), green at base, grading to white then with a dark purple mid-lobe; larger comb-teeth on lateral lobes 4–5 mm long, rising nearly to anther tip, mid-lobe irregularly and broadly toothed or scalloped; lamina calli in 4 densely crowded rows extending onto base of mid-lobe, linear to narrowly club-shaped, to 1.5 mm long at base of labellum, shorter and with broader heads towards apex. Flowers Nov.–Jan.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Grows mostly in coastal or near-coastal heathland and open-forest across the State.
Caladenia dilatata is distinguished by its late flowering period, prominent thickened clubs on the sepals and petals (usually) and preference for near-coastal habitats.
Caladenia necrophylla from south-eastern South Australia, differs from C. dilatata in the leaf being quite dried and brown at flowering time (often even before the flowering stem emerges), having pale brownish osmophores on the sepals and petals and a narrower, less incurved column. Specimens from the south-west of Victoria often have senescent leaves at flowering time, but are otherwise typical of C. dilatata.
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
