About Caladenia georgei Hopper & A.P.Br.
Caladenia georgei, commonly known as the tuart spider orchid, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber. It produces a single erect, hairy leaf that measures 120–220 mm (5–9 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. Up to three flowers grow on a stalk that reaches 250–500 mm (10–20 in) in height. Each individual flower is 60–100 mm (2–4 in) long and 50–80 mm (2–3 in) wide. The flowers are whitish to yellowish-green, flushed with red, and the lateral sepals have narrow, club-like, glandular tips. The lateral sepals and petals spread widely and curve downwards. The dorsal sepal is erect, 50–75 mm (2–3 in) long and around 3 mm (0.1 in) wide at its base. The lateral sepals are 45–85 mm (2–3 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide, while the petals measure 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. The labellum is 12–25 mm (0.5–1 in) long and 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) wide, white in colour with a red tip. The sides of the labellum bear spreading, red-tipped teeth up to 12 mm (0.5 in) long, and the tip of the labellum curves downwards. Four rows of red calli, up to 2 mm (0.08 in) long, run along the centre of the labellum. This species flowers during September and October. It occurs between Yanchep and Busselton in the Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions of Western Australia, where it grows in deep sandy soil in woodland, most commonly in tuart woodland.
