Caladenia paludosa, commonly known as the swamp spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, hairy leaf and up to three red, greenish-yellow and cream-coloured flowers. It mostly grows in dense scrub and is one of the last of the similar spider orchids to flower.
Caladenia paludosa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. It has a single erect, hairy leaf, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Up to three red, greenish-yellow and cream-coloured flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are borne on a stalk NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The sepals have thick, brown, club-like glandular tips NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The dorsal sepal is erect, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide and curve stiffly downwards. The petals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and curve upwards. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and greenish-yellow with a glossy red tip which curls downwards. The sides of the labellum have linear teeth up to 5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and there are four widely-spaced pale or deep red calli along its mid-line. Flowering occurs from September to early December.[1] [2] [3]
Caladenia paludosa was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown from a specimen collected near Bunbury and the description was published in Nuytsia.[4] The specific epithet (paludosa) is a Latin word meaning "swampy" or "marshy"[5] referring to the winter-wet swamps where this species grows.
The swamp spider orchid is found on the coastal plain between Gingin and Gracetown in the Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions. It grows in thick scrubland which is swampy in winter.
Caladenia paludosa is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.