Caladenia gardneri, commonly known as the cherry spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and up to three pale pink, sweetly scented flowers with a dark pinkish-red labellum.
Caladenia gardneri is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Up to three flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are borne on a stalk NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 high. The flowers are sweetly scented and white, flushed with pink while the lateral sepals have narrow, club-like, glandular tips. The lateral sepals and petals spread widely and have their ends curving downwards. The dorsal sepal is erect, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide at the base. The lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide at the base and the petals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and dark pinkish-red. The sides of the labellum have spreading teeth up to 6sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and the tip of the labellum is curved downwards. There are four rows of dark pink calli up to 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, along the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to early November.[1] [2] [3]
Caladenia gardneri was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown from a specimen collected near Pemberton and the description was published in Nuytsia.[4] The specific epithet (gardneri) honours George Gardner, an amateur naturalist.
Cherry spider orchid occurs between Yallingup and William Bay in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions where it grows in coastal woodland and heath.
Caladenia gardneri is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.