Caladenia longicauda, splendens

Caladenia longicauda, speciosa, splendens and christineae

White Spider Orchids
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This group contains about 16 species, most of which are in the C. longicauda group. All of them have predominantly white flowers with no red tip to the labellum.
The C. longicauda group contains about twelve subspecies most of which have relately large flowers. The subspecies are generally very similar with subtle differences ranging from differences in the size of the flowers, size and shape of the labellum and the distribution. As a group, they are very common across the south west.

Many of the different subspecies of White Spider Orchids are very difficult to identify. Most of the photogrtaphs on this page are labelled as C. longicauda subsp. eminens as this subspecies has the largest distribution and is somewhat easier to identify by its large, broad labellum and glistening white colour. Species marked with an asterisk (*) are ones in which the identification is uncretain.

The other species feature on this page are more distinctive and are easier to identify.

Caladenia longicauda White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda White Spider Orchid
C. longicauda subsp. calcigena is identified by its coastal habitat, smaller flowers and its calli, which tend to merge at the tip of the labellum, rather than remain in neat rows. C. longicauda subsp. redacta is distinguished by smaller flowers with a shorter labellum fringe. It is found in winter wet areas from Collie to Mt Barker
Caladenia longicauda subsp. calcigena Coastal White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda subsp. redacta* Tangled White Spider orchid	Caladenia longicauda subsp.clivicola Hills White Spider Orchid*
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider Orchid	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Interesting specimen where labellum is mutated into petal.
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider Albino specimen (no red colouring)	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider Orchid*
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Note the flower spider that has caught a bee.	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider
Caladenia christineae Christine's Spider Orchid	Caladenia christineae Christine's Spider Orchid	Caladenia christineae Christine's Spider Orchid	Caladenia splendens Splendid Spider Orchid
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens* interesting specimen with no calli or labellum fringes	A hybrid, possibly between C. longicauda subsp. eminens and C. uliginosa	Caladenia x enigma Hybrid between C. barbarossa and C. longicauda. Found where both C. barbarossa and C. longicauda were present.	Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens Stark White Spider Albino specimen (no red colouring)
Caladenia christineae (Christine's Spider Orchid) is identified by its smaller flowers with short labellum fringes. its petals are held stiffly out instead of drooping downward. Caladenia splendens (Splendid Spider Orchid) is distinguished by its much larger flowers (up to 22cm long) and its large, strongly U shaped labellum. Caladenia speciosa (Sandplain White Spider Orchid) differs from other white spider orchids by its long, rather raggard labellum fringes which sometimes have split ends (a feature no other white spider orchids have). The labellum is also tinged with pink.
Caladenia speciosa Sandplain White Spider Orchid	Caladenia speciosa Sandplain White Spider Orchid	Caladenia speciosa Sandplain White Spider Orchid	Caladenia speciosa Sandplain White Spider Orchid Note the split ends of the labellum fringes on this specimen.