NEW SPECIES OF SPIDER ORCHID

New species of spider orchids have been discovered ranging from Geraldton to Esperance by the WA Herbarium. They add to the already spectacular array of wildflowers which thrive in the biodiversity hot spot of the South West.The WA Herbarium has named 17 new spider orchids, from north of Geraldton to east of Esperance. Kevin Thiele is the curator of the Herbarium. Finding and naming plants is always exciting and fulfilling, he says. Some of the rarest were discovered near Busselton. The spider orchid genus Caladenia is one of the most varied of the WA orchids, Kevin told South West Mornings. "Some of them are very spidery. Some are really weird. Some have shorter petals and various colours. Some of them actually look like insects. "The classic spider orchids have long filamentous petals, 10cm or more long and are often coloured white or pink. One of the five spreading petals usually curls over the top. -READ MORE-http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2015/08/21/4297849.htm