Stegostyla alpina Mountain Caladenia
A large genus like Caladenia is often the subject of study and taxonomists are always likely to split off new sub genera. Stegostyla is one such but some reject the split and still think Stegostyla alpina is still part of the Caladenia genus. It does look superficially (to me anyway) like Caladenia hirta ssp rosea (Pink Candy Orchid) from western Australia but this one does have yellowish calli (little lumps) on the labellum rather than red ones.
These little orchids usually have one hairy leaf which doesn't look enough to supply them with photosynthesised nutrition - but then that's why they live in a symbiotic (parasitic really) relationship with mycorrhizal fungi and it is the identification and cultivation of the appropriate fungi which makes growing these orchids for study or for gardening so difficult.
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| Stegostyla alpina Mountain Caladenia |
Wooded Hills of Freycinet Reserve above Wineglass Bay, Tasmania 5th September 2007
Added on 10th March 2012