Caladenia exstans
species of orchid
Caladenia exstans, commonly known as the pointing spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two green, yellow and red flowers with a labellum which does not curl downwards but "points" forward.
Description
Caladenia exstans is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which has a single erect, hairy leaf, 50–200 mm (2–8 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. One or two green, yellow and red flowers 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide are borne on a stalk 200–450 mm (8–20 in) high. The dorsal sepal is erect, 30–45 mm (1–2 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide at the base. The lateral sepals are 30–45 mm (1–2 in) long, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide at the base, closely parallel to each other and curve forward and upwards. The sepals have thin, yellowish glandular tips. The petals are 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide at their bases and curve backwards. The labellum is 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, 14–15 mm (0.55–0.59 in) wide and delicately hinged. It is greenish-yellow with a dark reddish-purple tip which is not curled under but points forward.
“Caladenia exstans” enters the record as species of orchid. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Caladenia, exstans and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 12, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15437182. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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