Citation: R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 324 (1810).

Synonymy: Stegostyla congesta

Common name: Black-tongue caladenia.

Description:
Slender, slightly hairy; 15-60 cm high; leaf linear, 7-12~m long, very slightly hairy.

Flowers pink, 1-3, on slender pedicels; perianth-segments covered with glandular hairs on the outside, all spreading except the dorsal sepal; dorsal sepal shorter than the other segments, c. 12 mm, incurved over the column, lanceolate; lateral sepals c. 18 mm long, elliptical-lanceolate; petals c. 14 mm long, falcate; labellum pink, c. 9 mm (extended), on a rather long and narrow claw; very distinctly 3-lobed; basal-half erect against the column, thereafter gradually curved forward; lateral lobes falcate, acute, reaching well beyond the middle of the labellum, margins entire; middle lobe oblong-lanceolate, much elongated and very narrow, margins entire; calli dark-crimson, imbricate, completely covering the middle of the labellum to the very tip, at first placed longitudinally in 2 rather obscure rows, the 2 nearest the claw being stalked, the others large, sessile, flat-topped, more or less oblong; column c. 8 mm long, incurved, with rather wide wings, especially in the upper part, blotched with pink markings; anther pointed.

Published illustration: Fitzgerald (1894) Australian orchids, vol. 2, pt 5; Curtis (1980) Student's flora of Tasmania 4A:t. 17; Woolcock (1984) Australian terrestrial orchids, pl. 4B.

Distribution:  Occurring singly or in small groups in damp sand around swamp margins. S.Aust.: SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Oct. — Dec.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available