Stegostyla

Stegostyla is a terrestrial genus in the Orchidaceae family created in 2001 by DL Jones, MA Clements, IK Sharma, and AM Mackenzie in a paper entitled A new classification of Caladenia R.Br. (Orchidaceae). This paper was followed by many others, some in support, some suggesting subgenera status, and others advocating keeping these species in Caladenia. This genus was never widely accepted and further taxonomic work by MA Clements, CG Howard CG1, and JT Miller published in 2015 did not support recognition of this genus as previously proposed. For historical purposes and to avoid confusion we are keeping this page, but adding the species pictured below to the Caladenia wiki page. Flowers have short broad segments with pink or white petals, a narrow leaf, and a lip with rows of free calli. It is very like Petalochilus except that the flowers are glandular on the outside and the dorsal sepal is curved forward over the column which does not have red bars.

The Australian terrestrial orchids are notoriously challenging to grow, although some enthusiasts are starting to achieve success by cultivating the symbiotic fungus that many of the orchids require in order to grow. Very careful fertilization is required to keep the fungus and orchid in balance. There's a good discussion of the relationship by clicking on mycorrhiza here.


Stegostyla gracilis R.Br., syn. Caladenia gracilis (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., is a southeastern Australia species that is strongly scented gaining its common name of Musky Caladenia. It is wide spread in Victoria growing in well drained soils in open forest and woodland or scrubby slopes. It grows up to 45 cm tall and has 1 to 4 flowers on a long pedicel that range from 6 to 40 mm across. Flowers are dusky on the outside and generally white inside. Photographs taken October 2007 in the Grampians by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.

Stegostyla gracilis, Grampians, Bob RutemoellerStegostyla gracilis, Grampians, Grampians, Mary Sue IttnerStegostyla gracilis, Grampians, Mary Sue Ittner

See PBS wiki pages for these genera sometimes included in Caladenia :
Arachnorchis, Cyanicula, Drakonorchis, Jonesiopsis, Petalochilus


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Page last modified on July 02, 2017, at 07:44 AM