Caladenia graniticola

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Caladenia graniticola, commonly known as the Pingaring spider orchid, is a rare orchid that is native to the southwest of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and one or two flowers that are yellowish-green with red and white markings, and a greenish-yellow labellum (the lip) tipped in red.

Description
Caladenia graniticola is a terrestrial, perennial herb with an underground tuber. It has one erect, hairy leaf about 80–150 mm long and 5–10 mm wide. Each plant bears one or two flowers about 60–70 mm long and 40–50 mm wide on a stalk 120–300 mm tall. The flowers feature narrow, glandular tips on the lateral sepals and petals, which spread widely and curve downward. The dorsal sepal is erect. The labellum is 15–20 mm long and 6–9 mm wide, greenish-yellow with a red tip, with four rows of deep red calli along its center. The labellum tip turns downward but is not rolled.

Taxonomy and naming
This species was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown from a specimen near Pingaring and was named Caladenia hoffmanii subsp. graniticola. In 2007 it was raised to full species status as Caladenia graniticola. The name graniticola comes from the Latin graniticus meaning “granite” and cola meaning “dweller,” referring to its granite habitat. It is also listed in some sources under synonyms such as Arachnorchis graniticola.

Distribution and habitat
Pingaring spider orchid occurs between Karlgarin and Newdegate in the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. It grows under tall shrubs on and around granite outcrops.

Conservation
Caladenia graniticola is classified as Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant) by the Western Australian Government. The main threats include its small population size, inappropriate fire regimes, grazing by rabbits and kangaroos, and weed invasion. It typically flowers from late September to October.