Caladenia argocalla

Orchidaceae

Large White Spider-orchid,

White Beauty Spider-orchid

Display all 31 images

plant: Caladenia argocalla pl Ron Taylor Pages Flat

plant: Caladenia argocalla pl Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

plant: Caladenia argocalla pl midstem leaf Ron Taylor Pages Flat

plant: Caladenia argocalla peleton in cortical cells from collar

plant: Caladenia argocalla peletons in cortical cells from collar

plant: Caladenia argocalla lf Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

plant: Caladenia argocalla p Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

flower: Caladenia argocalla fl Ron Taylor Pages Flat

flower: Caladenia argocalla fl Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

flower: Caladenia argocalla f Denzel Murfet Wanilla CP

flower: Caladenia argocalla f Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

flower: Caladenia argocalla sepals Denzel Murfet Deep Creek CP

flower: Caladenia argocalla x rigida f Denzel Murfet Cromer

flower: Caladenia argocalla f Jerry Smith Adelaide Hills

flower: Caladenia argocalla fl Jerry Smith Adelaide Hills

flower: Caladenia argocalla flr Jerry Smith Adelaide Hills

fruit: Caladenia argocalla ripe seed pod David Kilpin

seed: Caladenia argocalla David Kilpin seed

seed: Caladenia argocalla David Kilpin seeds

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeded 6 Mar 2020 inoculated oats OA

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeds on sterilised soil mix 6 Mar 2020 with inoculated oats (2)

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeds on sterilised soil mix 6 Mar 2020 with inoculated oats (1)

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeds Deep Creek CP 2019

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeds Deep Creek CP

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeded 6 Mar 2020 inoculated oats soil mix

seed: Caladenia argocalla seeded 6 Mar 2020 inoculated oats

Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.

Least concern

Near threatened

Rare

Vulnerable

Endangered

Critically endangered

Extinct

Data deficient

Adelaide

Arkaroola

Ceduna

Coober Pedy

Hawker

Innamincka

Marla

Marree

Mount Gambier

Oodnadatta

Renmark

Wudinna

Keith

Yunta

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Prior names

Caladenia sp.

Calonemorchis argocalla

Arachnorchis argocalla

Calonema argocallum

Caladenia patersonii, partly

Common names

Large White Spider-orchid

White Beauty Spider-orchid

Etymology

Caladenia from the Greek 'kallos' meaning beauty and 'aden' meaning a gland, referring to the colourful labellum and the glistening glands at the base of the column that are present in many of the species. Argocalla from the Greek 'argos' meaning white and 'kallos' meaning beautiful, referring to its flower.

Distribution and status

Endemic to South Australia and restricted to the Mount Lofty Ranges, growing on hills and slopes in eucalyptus and Allocasuarina verticillata open woodland with a herbaceous understorey. Native. Endangered in South Australia. Endangered in Australia (EPBC Act).
Herbarium regions: Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Annual herb growing from an underground tuber, with a single dull green, hairy, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaf to 220 mm long and 18 mm wide appearing in April or May. Leaves or flowers do not appear every year. Inflorescence on a long slender stalk to 60 cm high with one, (sometimes two) white to greenish-white flowers. Perianth segments are white to greenish-white with narrow, dark central stripes. Petals and lateral sepals are spreading then drooping, with the dorsal sepal incurved. Petals with dark-red, glandular filiform tips that are not perfumed. The labellum is ovate-cordate and strongly recurved. The lamina is white-green or crimson, margins fringed with teeth and 6 to 8 rows of crimson, red or white club-shaped calli extending nearly to apex in the middle. Flowering between September and October. Fruits are pale-brown hairy, papery ellipsoid capsule containing numerous tiny seeds.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between October and November. Collect fat capsules as they start to dry and turn brown. Pods will split and release the seeds quickly and will require monitoring. To increase the chances of collecting mature pods, it is recommended that a small breathable bag (ie. Organza bags) be used to enclose the developing capsules. Place the capsules in a container that will hold fine seeds and leave to dry for a few weeks or until the capsule split. Then carefully hold the capsule and tap it gently to release the seeds. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place, refrigerator or in liquid nitrogen.

Seeds stored:

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Location	No. of seeds (weight grams)	Number of plants	Date collected	Collection number Collection location	Date stored	% Viability	Storage temperature
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			30-Nov-2007	J. Quarmby Murray	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			15-Nov-2007	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			13-Dec-2005	D. Kilpin Murray	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
BGA	70,000 (0.025 g)	2 pods		K. Brewer Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	80%	-80°C
BGA	650,000 (0.235 g)	16 pods		K. Brewer Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	85%	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			13-Dec-2005	D. Kilpin Murray	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
BGA	690,000 (0.248 g)	20+	6-Oct-2014	KHB843 Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	80%	-80°C
			15-Nov-2007	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
BGA	115,000 (0.0424 g)	4	5-Nov-2015	D. Kilpin Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	85%	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			28-Nov-2001	D. Bickerton Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
BGA	77,000 (0.0117 g)	1		Clare Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	66%	-80°C
BGA	33,000 (0.012 g)	1	12-Nov-2012	Erica Rees1 Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	70%	-80°C
			1-Nov-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
			5-Dec-2005	J. Quarmby Northern Lofty	1-Nov-2016	N/C	-80°C
BGA	539,000 (0.199 g)	17	1-Dec-2016	Kaiser Stuhl Murray	1-Nov-2017	N/C	-80°C
BGA	280,100 (0.1 g)	12	22-Nov-2017	D. Kilpin Northern Lofty	30-Jun-2018	N/C	-18°C
BGA	270,600 (0.097 g)	7	14-Nov-2018	D.Kilpin's Property Murray	24-Apr-2019	N/C	-18°C
BGA	8,600 (0.0033 g)	1	17-Nov-2018	J.J.Smith Southern Lofty	24-Apr-2019	N/C	-18°C
BGA	308,000 (0.11 g)	13	19-Nov-2019	Kaiser Stuhl CP Murray	24-Jun-2020	N/C	-18°C
BGA	462,000 (0.17 g)	16	19-Nov-2019	D.Kilpin Murray	24-Jun-2020	N/C	-18°C
BGA	784,000 (0.28 g)	17	7-Nov-2019	D.Kilpin's property Murray	24-Jun-2020	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
			30-Nov-2007	J. Quarmby Murray	24-Jun-2020	N/C	-80°C
BGA	28,000 (0.01 g)	1	21-Nov-2019	R.Lawrence Southern Lofty	24-Jun-2020	N/C	-18°C
BGA	325,000 (0.110 g)	3	23-Oct-2020	Nursery Murray	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	15,000 (0.0055 g)	1	14-Nov-2019	Deep Creek Southern Lofty	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	241,200 (0.086 g)	5	15-Nov-2020	K.H.Brewer Southern Lofty	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	44,800 (0.016 g)	2	23-Nov-2017	Amanda Pearce Southern Lofty	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	115,100 (0.041 g)	3	17-Nov-2020	D.Kilpin's translocated Murray	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
MSB	224,600 (0.080 g)	5	17-Nov-2020	D.Kilpin's Wild Murray	28-Jun-2021	N/C
BGA	263,600 (0.094 g)	9	17-Nov-2020	Kaiser Stuhl CP Murray	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	47,000 (0.02 g)	3	19-Nov-2019	Altman Road Southern Lofty	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	742,500 (0.26 g)	6	22-Oct-2018	D.Kilpin's Property Murray	28-Jun-2021		-18°C
BGA	70,000 (0.025 g)	4	19-Nov-2019	Roesslers, Springton Murray	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	53,000 (0.019 g)	2	1-Nov-2019	K.H.Brewer Southern Lofty	28-Jun-2021	N/C	-18°C
BGA	535,000 (0.191 g)	13	19-Nov-2021	Hughes Park Rd Clare Northern Lofty	10-Aug-2022	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
BGA	425,800 (0.152 g)	9	22-Nov-2021	Kaiser Stuhl CP Murray	10-Aug-2022	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
BGA	1,723,100 (0.615 g)	10	9-Nov-2021	D. Kilpin's property Nursery Murray	10-Aug-2022	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
BGA	504,300 (0.180 g)	6	22-Nov-2021	Altmann Road Southern Lofty	10-Aug-2022	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
BGA	997,400 (0.356 g)	35	19-Nov-2021	DJD4052 Northern Lofty	10-Aug-2022	N/C	-18°C, -80°C
BGA	340,000 (0.121 g)	7	1-Dec-2022	J.J.Smith Southern Lofty	21-Jun-2023	N/C	-18°C
BGA	174,500 (0.062 g)	3	9-Nov-2022	Cox Scrub CP Southern Lofty	21-Jun-2023	N/C	-18°C
BGA	11,000 (0.004 g)	3	22-Nov-2022	Kaiser Stuhl CP Southern Lofty	21-Jun-2023	N/C	-18°C
BGA	791,000 (0.282 g)	10	22-Nov-2022	D. Kilpin's property Nursery Southern Lofty	21-Jun-2023	N/C	-18°C, -80°C

Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.

Fleurieu (KAN02)	Kanmantoo	Critically Endangered (IUCN: CR B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); D) (Definite Decline) [~15 - 20 plants; no viable pops here; very fragmented; could become extinct in next 20 yrs]
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01)	Flinders Lofty Block	Endangered (IUCN: EN B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); D) (Definite Decline) [only 1 large pop (150 tubers) in MLR, stronghold in Clare Valley; needs a large pop to remain viable]
Broughton (FLB02)		Critically Endangered (IUCN: CR B1ab(i,iii,iv)) (Definite Decline) [Disappeared from Nuriootpa & Kapunda. Fluctuation of flowers. Restrictive population, Clare pop most viable. Emu Flat not viable. Weed invasion biggest threat. ]