Scientific Name: Caladenia pusilla
Common Name: tiny fingers
Family Classification (Clade): Monocots
Family: Orchidaceae
Threatened Species Status: Rare
Permit: It is an offence to collect, disturb, damage or destroy this species unless under permit.
Form Description: Tiny finger orchid. Leaf narrowly linear, 30-60mm long, sparsely hairy. Scape relatively sturdy hairy.
Height (m): 0.04 – 0.1
Flowers: Flower single often not opening widely, usually pink internally, commonly paler towards the centre, brownish pink externally, labellum white or pink narrow red bars, mid-lobe cream to pale yellow, calli yellow, column green with red bars.
Fruit: Papery capsule
Municipality
Plant Communities
Habitat Notes
Mainly heathland, occasionally open forest.
Site Tolerance
Exposed
Soil Tolerance
Loam, Nutrient-poor, Sandy, Well-drained
Frost Tolerance
Tender
General Notes
Caladenia pussila has smallest flower of the Caladenia genus in Tasmania. Flowering promoted by fire.
Propagation Calendar
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Flowering Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Seed Collecting Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Sowing Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -
Cutting Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Seed Information
Seed Treatment Notes
Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases thousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.