ORCHIDACEAE

Alpine Caladenia (orchid)

 

0.3m (30cm) 

1-4 flowers 35mm across, white internally and pink to red externally, broad strongly hooded dorsal sepal. 

 

Robust species with broad leaves 

Break O'Day; Central Coast; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Derwent Valley; Dorset; Flinders Island; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kentish; Kingborough; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Tasman; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast; West Tamar 

Grassy Vegetation; Montane Vegetation 

Open, sunny sites in montane and sub-alpine open eucalypt forest, grasslands and moorlands. 

Exposed; Moist; Moist; Rocky; Windy 

Hardy 

Loam; Sandy; Well-drained 

Tolerates fire, but occurs in mountain habitats with low fire frequency. Occurs on areas with prolonged snow cover. Suitable below powerlines. 

 

Standard 

 

 

Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases tousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.