Rare plant that grows in two places in the world discovered in secret Aussie location
The particular species was only discovered on this site in 2021.
A rare plant that grows in only two places in the world has been discovered flowering in abundance at a secret Aussie location.
Experts with Green Adelaide, South Australia’s first government urban environmental organisation, were out monitoring a reserve in the Mt Lofty Ranges last week for threatened species when they made a “pretty special” and pungent find — bayonet spider orchids in bloom.
“Despite the number of orchid enthusiasts that are out every spring looking for this family of plants, we still find new surprises every now and again, and this particular species on this site was discovered relatively recently in 2021,” flora ecologist Jack Casley-Smith told Yahoo News Australia.
“In the years following, we’ve still found new plants in the area, so they can be inconspicuous and tricky to spot. It was great in this most recent monitoring to see the orchids flowering. Spider orchids do not always have multiple flowers on the same plant, but if they’re happy and healthy, they can.”
Rare orchid's locations not revealed for protection
The bayonet spider orchid (Caladenia gladiolata) is a special species that “has been recently confirmed at only two locations in the world”, including in the Mt Lofty Ranges and southern Flinders Ranges, Mr Casley-Smith said.
“The exact location of particular orchid species is often deliberately not revealed, to help protect these rare plants,” he explained, adding site sensitivity has played a role in the plant’s rareness.
“Where it occurs in the Mt Lofty Ranges, it has faced threats from weeds, grazing animals, be that natives, domestic or pest species, and vegetation clearance. This has led to a small population on this site, not large enough to attract many pollinators,” he said.
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Plant species has distinct 'wood' smell
The species is closely related to other similar-looking spider orchids, but it has a stand-out characteristic — a wood-varnish scent.
“Other similar spider orchids don’t share this same fragrance, or even have scents that are especially notable. But a strong wood varnish fragrance is noticeable on this unique orchid,” the flora ecologist told Yahoo.
“The orchid itself has a light green, hairy, thin oval-shaped leaf, and produces a greenish to yellow flower with a strip of red colour that makes its way all the way down to the tip of the petals,” he said.
“Part of its look is in its name. ‘Gladiolata’ originates from the Latin 'gladius' meaning a sword, aptly referring to its sword or bayonet-shaped flower petals.”
The local population receives is cared for under Green Adelaide’s Threatened Flora Project, including site management, regular monitoring, and wild translocations of plants grown by the SA Seed Conservation Centre.
“And we shoulder careful site management in a number of ways such as reducing the threat of invasive weed species and managing the potential threat of grazing from native, domestic or pest animals through fencing,” Mr Casley-Smith said.
“Many aspects of caring for this special orchid are ongoing tasks that we undertake not only for this species, but for a range of threatened plants. The work, though, has great rewards when you get to see unique species such as the bayonet spider orchid flourishing in its home.”
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