Caleana

Duck orchids
Large duck orchid (Caleana major)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Drakaeinae
Genus: Caleana
R.Br., 1810
Type species
Caleana major
R.Br.[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Caleya R.Br.
  • Sullivania F.Muell.
  • Paracaleana Blaxell

Caleana, commonly known as duck orchids,[3] is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae that is found in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian species are found in all states but have not been recorded in the Northern Territory. Duck orchids have a single leaf and one or a few, dull-coloured, inconspicuous flowers. Most species are found in Western Australia but one species (C. major) occurs in eastern Australia and one (C. minor) occurs in eastern Australia and New Zealand. Orchids in this genus as well as the hammer orchids (Drakaea) are pollinated by male thynnid wasps.

Labelled diagram of Caleana nigrita
  1. ^ Clements, Mark A. (1989). "Catalogue of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 1: 33.
  2. ^ "Caleana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. ^ Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 146. ISBN 1877069124.