About Caladenia lyallii Hook.f.
This species, known by the scientific name Caladenia lyallii Hook.f., is also referred to as Caladenia alpina, or mountain caladenia. It is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber. It produces a single, thick, fleshy, sparsely hairy, lance-shaped leaf that is green to dark reddish-green in color, measuring 9–28 cm (4–10 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. One to three (most commonly two) flowers are borne on a flowering spike that reaches up to 30 cm (10 in) in height. Each flower is around 40 mm (2 in) in diameter. The dorsal sepal is broadly egg-shaped, 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide, and curves forward to form a hood that covers the column. The petals and lateral sepals are broad, 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long; they are white and glabrous on the front, and pinkish red to maroon with glandular hairs on the back. When flattened, the labellum is about 9 mm (0.4 in) long. It is white with dark red to purple spots and lines, has a wavy margin, a few short teeth, and a pointed tip. Four evenly spaced rows of club-shaped calli are present on the surface of the labellum. The calli are yellow or whitish, becoming darker and shorter closer to the tip of the labellum. The column is about 7 mm (0.3 in) long, has broad wings, and bears red spots or streaks. Mountain caladenia typically grows in subalpine zones above 1,000 m (3,000 ft), found in forest, snow gum woodland, herbfields, and in areas near ponds and bogs. In New South Wales, it occurs on the Southern Tablelands south of the Brindabella Range. In Victoria, it is found on the Great Dividing Range and in the Grampians. In New Zealand, Caladenia lyallii occurs on the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island.
