Communities

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Scientific Name

Caladenia atrata

Family Name

ORCHIDACEAE

Common Name

Dark Caladenia (orchid)

Status

Height

0.12m - 0.2m (12-20cm)

Flowers

Intensley white flowers with exterior covereed with black to reddish black glands. Strongly hooded dorsal sepal.

Fruit

Papery capsule

Form

leaf erect and linear, sparsely hairy.

Municipalities

Central Highlands; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kingborough; Latrobe; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands

Communities

Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Grassy Vegetation; Heath

Habitat Notes

Open eucalypt forest and woodland, heathy understorey, sunny slopes.

Site Tolerance

Dry; Exposed; Exposed; Moist

Frost Tolerance

Moderate

Soil Tolerance

Clay; Loam; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

Flowers open for only a few days. Responds well to fire and disturbance. Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Seed Treatment Method

Standard

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

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.

Germination Time

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes