Stirling Range National Park Native OrchidsCaladenia barbarossa (Dragon Orchid) Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid) Caladenia polychroma (Joseph’s Spider Orchid) Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid) Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid) Elythranthera emarginata (Pink Enamel Orchids) Leptoceras menziesii (Rabbit Orchid) Praecoxanthus aphyllus (Leafless Orchid) Thelymitra speciosa (Eastern Queen of Sheba’s)

— see Orchidaceae (Orchids)

Caladenia pulchra, commonly known as the Slender Spider Orchid, is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

Caladenia pulchrapulchrus = beautiful

It has a single erect, hairy leaf, with up to three flowers coloued red, yellow, white. The sides of the labellum have short, blunt teeth, whilst the tip is curled under and there are two rows of anvil-shaped calli along the mid-line of the labellum. The flower colour of this species of orchid is variable, with some instances of the flower being all red. It is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber.

Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham

Photographs © Terry Dunham


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Charophyta
  • Class: Equisetopsida
  • Subclass: Magnoliidae
  • Superorder: Lilianae
  • Order: Asparagales
  • Family: Orchidaceae
  • Genus: Caladenia
  • Species: Caladenia pulchra

Footnote & References

  1. Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchids), Stirling Range National Park WA. Photographs © Terry Dunham
  2. Caladenia pulchra Hopper & A.P.Br., Slender Spider Orchid, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/taxon/apni/51399291
  3. Slender Spider Orchid (Caladenia pulchra), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/1248206-Caladenia-pulchra
  4. Caladenia pulchra Hopper & A.P.Br., Slender Spider Orchid, Western Australian Herbarium (1998–). Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/19279

Stirling Range National Park Native OrchidsCaladenia barbarossa (Dragon Orchid) Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid) Caladenia polychroma (Joseph’s Spider Orchid) Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid) Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid) Elythranthera emarginata (Pink Enamel Orchids) Leptoceras menziesii (Rabbit Orchid) Praecoxanthus aphyllus (Leafless Orchid) Thelymitra speciosa (Eastern Queen of Sheba’s)

Stirling Range National Park FloraSRNP Flora Index Anigozanthos rufus (Red Kangaroo Paw) Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia) Banksia oreophila (Mountain Banksia) Banksia sphaerocarpa var sphaerocarpa (Fox Banksia) Conospermum caeruleum (Blue Brother) Conospermum caeruleum subsp. oblanceolatum Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Eucalyptus preissiana (Bell-fruited Mallee) Eucalyptus macrandra (Long-flowered Marlock) Eucalyptus uncinata (Hook-leaved Mallee) Hakea cucullata (Hood Leaved Hakea) Hakea lehmanniana (Blue Hakea) Hibbertia selkii Native Orchids

Stirling Range National ParkFauna Flora Landscape

Western AustraliaWestern Australia Fauna Western Australia Flora The Batavia Coast and Midwest WA Bungle Bungles – Purnululu National Park Great Southern WA South West WA Stirling Range National Park