Scientific Name: Caladenia vulgaris var. vulgaris
Common Name: summer fingers
Family Classification (Clade): Monocots
Family: Orchidaceae
Form Description: Leaf narrowly linear, dark green, red base, sparsely hairy. Scape slender and wiry, sparsely hairy.
Height (m): 0.15 – 0.36
Flowers: Flowers 1-2 dull pink or whitish internally, with brownish central bands externally, labellum white or pink with prominent red transverse bars and yellow apex, calli yellow to orange, column whitish with red transverse bars. Self pollinating.
Fruit: Papery capsule
Municipality
Plant Communities
Habitat Notes
Found in damp, sandy coastal heathland and scrub but more commonly in deep, damp litter in tall open eucalypt forest and eucalypt woodlands.
Site Tolerance
Exposed, Moist, Shady
Soil Tolerance
Clay, Fertile, Loam, Poorly-drained, Sandy, Well-drained
Frost Tolerance
Moderate
General Notes
Main habitat tends to be damp with few fires; may be intolerant to high fire frequency.
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.