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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IBRA region

LEGEND

Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01)	Flinders Lofty Block	Critically Endangered   (IUCN: CR B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v); D)   (Definite Decline)   [1 population <20 plants; data available; could be a unique ssp/form]
Broughton (FLB02)		Critically Endangered   (IUCN: CR B1ab(i,ii,iv))   (Definite Decline)   [Tothill Population not seen in over 30 years, presumed extinct.]
Southern Flinders (FLB04)		Critically Endangered   (IUCN: CR B1ab(i,ii,iv))   (Definite Decline)   [Telowie gorge population gone. Mt Remarkable pop has crashed, down from thousands to a couple of hundred. Grazing and drought biggest threat.]

Botanical art

Kath Alcock painting: 1

Prior names

Calonemorchis gladiolata

Arachnorchis gladiolata

Calonema gladiolatum

Common names

Bayonet 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. Gladiolata from the Latin 'gladius' meaning a sword, referring to the bayonet-shaped glandular tips of the sepals and petals.

Distribution and status

Endemic to South Australia and restricted to the southern Flinders Ranges and the southern Mount Lofty Ranges, growing Eucalyptus leucoxylon, E. fasciculosa and E. cladocalyx Woodland on sandy loam soils with scattered shale and quartzite. Native. Endangered in South Australia. Endangered in Australia (EPBC Act).
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Terrestrial orchid with a flowering stem to 20 cm high, green with reddish markings. Leaves to 6 cm in length, green, shortly hairy. Flowers usually single in tones of green and red with brown bayonet-shaped clubs on sepals and petals, strongly scented (smelling spicy or musk-like). Segments are 2–4 cm long, green with a red longitudinal stripe, loosely spreading (drooping in larger flowers) and over half of the segments are made up of large, flattened, brown, glandular clubs which emit the fragrance. Labellum small, ovate, yellow-green and red in colour, minutely denticulate margins that have four rows of dark red clubbed calli. 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.