Caladenia nivalis, commonly known as the exotic spider orchid or crystalline spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. This orchid is easily distinguished by its bright white to pale pink and red flowers and its narrow range in and near the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.
Caladenia nivalis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, hairy leaf, long and wide. Up to three bright white, sometimes pale pink flowers long and wide are borne on a stalk tall. The sepals have thick, brown, club-like glandular tips. The sepal is erect, long, wide. The sepals are long, wide and spread widely but with the tips turned downwards. The petals are long and wide and arranged like the lateral sepals. The labellum is long and wide, white near the base then bright red with the tip curled under. The sides of the labellum have teeth up to long and there four or more rows of red calli up to long along the centre. Flowering occurs from late August to October.
Caladenia nivalis was first described in 2001 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Phillip Brown and the description was published in Nuytsia. The specific epithet (nivalis) is a Latin word meaning "snowy" or "of snow" referring to the bright white flowers of this species.
The exotic spider orchid occurs between Cape Naturaliste and Moses Rock in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions where it grows in peppermint woodland, coastal heath and in granite crevices.
Caladenia nivalis is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.