Communities

Scientific Name

Caladenia gracilis

Family Name

ORCHIDACEAE

Common Name

Musky Caladenia (orchid)

Status

Height

0.1m - 0.25m (10-25cm)

Flowers

Flowers white to pinkish interior, reddish brown to greenish-brown externally, labellum wholly white or cream.

Fruit

Papery capsule

Form

Leaf erect, narrowly linear, moderately hairy. Scape slender and wiry, moderately Hairy

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Brighton; Burnie; Central Highlands; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kentish; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands; Tasman; West Coast; West Tamar

Communities

Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Heath

Habitat Notes

Heathy open eucalypt forest and woodland.

Site Tolerance

Dry; Exposed; Exposed; Shady

Frost Tolerance

Moderate

Soil Tolerance

Loam; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

Some poulations of C. gracilis. produce a strong musky scent, while others hardly have any. Moderate to high fire frequency. 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