Caladenia minor, commonly known as white fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to New Zealand. There is doubt about its taxonomy and in Australia the species is more usually known as Caladenia pusilla, Caladenia catenata var. minor, or Caladenia carnea var. minor. It has a single long, narrow leaf and one or two white or pale cream-coloured flowers.
| White fingers | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Caladenia |
| Species: | C. minor
|
| Binomial name | |
| Caladenia minor | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Description
editCaladenia minor is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, long, narrow, hairy leaf. One or two flowers about 10 mm (0.4 in) across are borne on a thin, wiry stem about 200 mm (8 in) tall which is covered with prominent, reddish to blackish-purple glandular hairs. The sepals and petals are white to pale cream-coloured on the front and have dark glands on the back. The labellum is cream-coloured with red bars and has short blunt teeth on the sides near the tip. Flowering occurs from October to December or February.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
editCaladenia minor was first formally described in 1853 by Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in The botany of the Antarctic voyage of H.M. discovery ships Erebus and Terror.[4] The specific epithet (minor) is a Latin word meaning "less".[5]
In Australia Caladenia minor is often regarded as a synonym of Caladenia pusilla, Caladenia catenata var. minor, or Caladenia carnea var. minor and its status in New Zealand is also uncertain.[3][6] The species is reported to be self-pollinated in New Zealand but pollinated by bees in Australia.[7]
Distribution and habitat
editWhite fingers occurs on both the North and South Island of New Zealand as well as Chatham Island, growing in beech forest and scrub.[2]
Conservation
editCaladenia minor is listed as "not threatened" in New Zealand.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "Caladenia minor Hook.f." Flora of New Zealand. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ a b c "Caladenia orchids". New Zealand Native orchids. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Caladenia minor". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ "Caladenia minor". APNI. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 525.
- ^ "Caladenia minor". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ van der Cingel, Nelis A. (2000). An atlas of orchid pollination : America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Rotterdam: Balkema. p. 195. ISBN 9054104864.