About Caladenia alata R.Br.
Caladenia alata R.Br. is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb. It usually grows alone, but sometimes forms groups of up to twenty individuals. This species has an underground tuber and a single, sparsely hairy leaf. The leaf is dark to reddish green, linear to narrow lance-shaped, and measures 3–13 cm (1–5 in) long by 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide. One or two short-lived flowers, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) in diameter, grow on a thin, wiry spike that reaches 8–24 cm (3–9 in) high. The dorsal sepal is erect, narrow elliptic in shape, and roughly the same length as or slightly shorter than the lateral sepals. Lateral sepals and petals are 3–11 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long, white or pink, and asymmetrically egg-shaped, with narrowing tips that are slightly hooked. When flattened, the labellum is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, has three lobes, and is white or pink with purple bars and a down-curved yellow tip. The labellum's lateral lobes are large, broad, and have smooth edges. Two rows of stalked, club-shaped yellow calli grow on the labellum's mid-lobe. Flowering occurs from August to October. Commonly called fairy orchid, this plant grows in moist locations within forest and woodland, most often in steep, rocky places, but can also be found in swamps and at lake edges. In New Zealand, it sometimes grows around hot springs. The full distribution of Caladenia alata is not well understood because its flowers are small and ephemeral. It has been recorded in south-east Queensland, the coast and tablelands of New South Wales, near-coastal areas of Victoria east of Wilsons Promontory, and Tasmania in Australia. In New Zealand, it is restricted to the North Island, growing mainly between Te Paki and Rotorua.
