Caladenia radiata Nicholls 1949 SUBGENUS Calonema ( Benth. ) Hopper & A.P.Br.2000 Photo courtesy of Ron Heberle and the Thelymitra Page of The Species Orchid Society of Western Australia

Common Name The Rayed Caladenia - The Ray Spider Orchid

Flower Size 2" to 2.4" [5 to 6 cm]

Found in south west and western Western Australia at elevations up to 200 meters in low lying very wet areas as well as the edges of swamps as a medium sized cool growing terrestrial with an erect, pilose stem carrying a large, linea, acute, pilose, conduplicate below into the clasping base leaf and another very small, linear, acute one just above the middle that blooms in the spring on a 12 to 18" [30 to 45 cm] long, 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence. This is the wettest growing Caladenia and fire does promote flowering and new plants and pollination is with thynnid wasps by pseudocopulation..

Synonyms Arachnorchis radiata (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.. 2001; Calonema radiata (Nicholls) Szlach. 2001; Calonemorchis radiata (Nicholls) Szlach. 2001

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Australia Riley & Banks 2002; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006