name < Species index > Nestegis cunninghamii
This article was published in Tararua Tramper October2025
October in the hills with Michele Dickson and Chris Horne
Caladenia chlorostyla, caladenia, white fingers
Origin of the botanical names – Caladenia comes from the Greek words meaning ‘beautiful’ and ‘gland’, referring to the ornamental character of the lip / labellum; chlorostyla comes from the Greek word for green and the Latin adjective meaning ‘with a prominent style’, referring to the column of fused male and female parts in the middle of the flower. Caladenia chlorostyla belongs to the Orchidaceae family. The genus Caladenia is primarily found in Australia, with about eleven species in Aotearoa, most endemic.
Distribution and habitat - Caladenia chlorostyla is endemic to Aotearoa. It grows on Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, the North and South Islands, on Rakiura / Stewart Island and on Rekohu / Chatham Islands. It grows in coastal to montane well-lit situations in scrub, indigenous forest and plantation forests.
Growth habit - It is a terrestrial, tuberous herb, with just one leaf and one flower stalk / scape and flower per plant. The leaf is semi-upright, 50-150 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, linear, green and slightly hairy. The slender, upright flower stalk is 10–300 mm tall, also green and a little more hairy than the leaf, especially near the base.
Reproduction - The flower is 11–16 mm diameter, greenish-white, more pale on the inside. One of the petal-like parts stands erect at the back of the flower, incurved at the end. Four of the others fan out at the front of the flower, rather like fingers. The inside of the flower, including the lip, is whitish with maroon transverse bars. The lip curves up and out like a tongue, and its surface, particularly at the edges, has prominent white protuberances. Flowering is from September to January or March. The fruit is an erect, cylindrical capsule / pod 10.0–12.0 × 2.5–3.5 mm long, green, sometimes with purple stripes. Fruits develop from December to April.
Uses - We have been unable to find any uses for Caladenia chlorostyla.
Where can you find Caladenia chlorostyla? - Look for it in East Harbour Regional Park, Ōtari- Wilton’s Bush, Eastern Hutt hills and in the Tararua and Remutaka Ranges.