Musk Hood-Orchid

About

Caladenia moschata, commonly known as musky caps or musky caladenia, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a ground orchid with a single leaf and up to five flowers which are dark-coloured on the back and white on the front, sometimes tinged with pink and with a strong musky or soapy odour. The species was previously known as Caladenia gracilis.

How to spot it

Caladenia moschata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which grows singly or in small groups. It has a single, slightly hairy leaf 90–180 mm (4–7 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Up to five musky or soapy-scented flowers are borne on a spike 150–300 mm (6–10 in) tall. The sepals and petals are white on the front, sometimes tinged with pink or bronze colours and their backs have greenish-brown or purplish glandular hairs. The sepals and petals spread h

Documented on these trails

Found in

• Black Mountain Nature Reserve, Canberra Nature Park — Canberra & Namadgi National Park hikes