Caladenia subtilis, commonly known as the delicate spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single leaf and a single greenish to cream-coloured flower with dark red tips on the sepals.
Caladenia subtilis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single leaf, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. A single greenish to cream-coloured flower NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide is borne on a stalk NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The sepals have dark red, club-like glandular tips NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The dorsal sepal is erect, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, about 4sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and spread apart from each other, curving downwards. The petals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and arranged like the lateral sepals. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and whitish with a dark red, downcurved tip. The sides of the labellum have red teeth and there are four or six rows of dark red calli up to 1sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, along the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to November.[1]
Caladenia subtilis was first described in 1999 by David Jones from a specimen collected in a state forest near Nowendoc and the description was published in The Orchadian.[2] The specific epithet (subtilis) is a Latin word meaning "fine", "delicate" or "nice".[3]
The delicate spider orchid is only known from areas near Nowendoc and Nundle where it grows in open forest.[4]