Caladenia roei Clown Orchid Endemic
This distinctive little orchid usually poses with its legs (petals) crossed wearing the striped outfit of a clown. It is also unusual in that it has attracted a variety of vernacular names apart from Clown Orchid: Ant Orchid, Man Orchid and Jack-in-the-box.
The very broad labellum and black calli (knobbly bits in the middle) are characteristic of the species but it is actually quite a small orchid and a fair few of the ones we saw were hiding under bushes.
I had posted the wrong photos for this plant but was kindly corrected by Michael Warren who pointed our that the original photos were those of Caladenia falcata (Fringed Mantis Orchid)
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| Caladenia roei |
W.A. Wild Flower Society tour. LHS: Macrocarpa walk near Kulin 15th Sept RHS: Foxes Lair near Narrogin 16th Sep 2007
Added on march 20th 2008, updated, November 11th 2008, updated 10th March 2010, updated 17th July 2015, corrected May 13th 2020