Caladenia fuscata

Dusky Fingers at Wanniassa Hill

Caladenia fuscata at Wanniassa Hill - 4 Oct 2016
Caladenia fuscata at Wanniassa Hill - 4 Oct 2016
Caladenia fuscata at Wanniassa Hill - 4 Oct 2016
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Identification history

Caladenia fuscata 2 Dec 2016 TobiasHayashi
Caladenia fuscata 23 Nov 2016 ArcherCallaway

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User's notes

Very puzzling case. According to the ID tips given by Cath (stem colour/thickness, back of sepal(?) colouring), I would think this is fuscata. Every other plant seen on this slope was fuscata, and this was in a colony of fuscata. However, all references mention one flower max for this species. Is there a remote possibility that this could be fuscata? Or maybe it is an odd carnea or something entirely different? I have seperated this sighting out from the other plants in the colony as I wasn't sure whether the ID was the same, but the other flowers (or some of them anyway) are at http://canberranaturemap.org/Community/Sighting/3366466

5 comments

   24 Nov 2016
Very puzzling case. According to the ID tips given by Cath (stem colour/thickness, back of sepal colouring etc.), I would think this is fuscata. Every other plant seen on this slope was fuscata, and this was in a colony of fuscata. However, all references mention one flower max for this species. Is there a remote possibility that this could be fuscata? Or maybe it is an odd carnea or something entirely different? I have seperated this sighting out from the other plants in the colony as I wasn't sure whether the ID was the same, but the other flowers (or some of them anyway) are at http://canberranaturemap.org/Community/Sightings/Details/3366466
TonyWood wrote:
   24 Nov 2016
Yes it is puzzling. To me the flower colour looks like C. carnea and the stem C. fuscata. I have never seen a fuscata with two flowers, but that's not to say its impossible. Of course there is another possibility and that it's a hybrid! Cath is overseas at present and I doubt will be checking on CNM.
   24 Nov 2016
Thanks Tony. The possibility of a hybrid had not occurred to me. I have recorded carnea (which I am yet to put up) on one of the the other slopes but not this one. I guess we'll have to wait for Cath to get back and perhaps Tobias to have a look as well.
   24 Nov 2016
This link mentions hybrids between the 2 species https://nossaorg.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/kuiter.pdf
TobiasHayashi wrote:
   3 Dec 2016
In the interests of putting an ID on this, I will confirm as Caladenia fuscata - to me all other features of the plant look good for C. fuscata, as well as the fact it was in with other C. fuscata. The addition of one flower on the stem may be rare in C. fuscata but I would be very surprised if it doesn't happen from time to time. Hybrid of course is an option, we may never know for sure.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 - 3 Abundance
  • 4 Oct 2016 09:56 AM Recorded on
  • ArcherCallaway Recorded by

Additional information

  • True In flower

Species information

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