From the Latin alatus (winged), referring to the winged column.

Fairy Fingers.

Leaf linear, very thin, 50–120 × 1–2 mm. Flower stem 60–160 mm tall, very thin and wiry, 1- or 2-flowered. Flowers 10–14 × 12–16 mm, white, pale pink or bright pink, externally dusky greenish; labellum white or pink, lateral lobes with red bars, midlobe yellow- or orange-tipped, calli orange, column green with red bars. Dorsal sepal upright, 6–9 × 2 mm, slightly incurved to recurved. Lateral sepals porrect, divergent, 6–9 × 3 mm. Petals spreading, sometimes upcurved, 5–8 × 2 mm. Labellum 4–5 × 5–6 mm; lateral lobes large, entire; midlobe narrow, recurved; marginal teeth few, base with 2 prominent flat stalked basal teeth. Calli in 2 rows nearly to base of midlobe. Column 4.5–5.5 × 2.5 mm.

Leaf very thin; flower stem tall, thin and wiry; flowers small, pink, dorsal sepal upright, sepals and petals stiff, sharply pointed, labellum lateral lobes large, heavily barred, midlobe yellow to orange with two flat orange teeth at base.

Similar species: Caladenia campbellii has a thick flower stem, long swollen ovaries and pink flowers with blunter segments.

Flowers September–November.

Native.

Qld (Fraser Island, Maaroom to Brisbane Forest Park), N.S.W. (Cudgen to Wonboyn), Vic. (Mornington Peninsula to Mallacoota), Tas. (N, E coast especially SE, rare in W, Hunter Island, King Island); 0–250 m altitude; also occurs in New Zealand.

Widespread and sometimes locally common; growing among shrubs and under the canopy of grasstrees in heathy forest, coastal scrub, and heathland in moist to freely drained, sandy soil, peat and clay loam.

Small flowers last 3–7 days before self-pollinating and closing.

A variable species that needs further study. Specimens from Wide Bay District, Qld, attributed to this species are distinct with relatively small flowers, broad blunt tepals and a short broad labellum midlobe.

D.L. Jones, A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia 3rd edn: 73 (2021).

Jones, D.L. (2021). A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia 3rd edn. (Reed New Holland: Sydney).

This profile has been adapted from A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia 3rd edn (2021) by D.L. Jones, with support from the Australian Orchid Foundation.