Caladenia subtilis

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.

Description
Caladenia subtilis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single leaf, 50-110 mm long and 4-6 mm wide. A single greenish to cream-coloured flower 30-50 mm wide is borne on a stalk 150-220 mm tall. The sepals have dark red, club-like glandular tips 6-9 mm long. The dorsal sepal is erect, 25-35 mm long and about 2 mm wide. The lateral sepals are 25-35 mm long, about 4 mm wide and spread apart from each other, curving downwards. The petals are 25-35 mm long, about 2 mm wide and arranged like the lateral sepals. The labellum is 13-15 mm long, 8-9 mm 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 1 mm long, along the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to November.

Taxonomy and naming
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. The specific epithet (subtilis) is a Latin word meaning "fine", "delicate" or "nice".

Distribution and habitat
The delicate spider orchid is only known from areas near Nowendoc and Nundle where it grows in open forest.