Spiranthes tuberosa Raf.
Little Ladies' Tresses
Native
CC = 6
CW = 5
MOC = 45
© DETenaglia
Spiranthes tuberosa Raf.Little Ladies' Tresses | |
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Native CC = 6 CW = 5 MOC = 45 |
© DETenaglia |
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Family - Orchidaceae Habit - Perennial forb from a tuberous, lacking rhizomes. Root pubescent, typically single but often with the previous season's root persisting. Stems - Plant is without a stem until flowering. Flowering stems erect, 15-30 cm, thin, glabrous, simple.
Leaves - Basal leaves 2 or 3, absent at flowering time, 1-3 cm long, ovate to elliptic, glabrous. Plant rarely with small cauline leaves (bracts). Inflorescence - Single spike to ca. 9 cm long, with flowers arranged in a single spiral.
Flowers - Sepals and lateral petals 3.0-4.5 mm long, white, the lateral sepals free to the base or nearly so, only slightly spreading, oriented parallel to the rest of the perianth or nearly so. Lip 2.5-3.5 mm long, oblong, the margins irregularly toothed toward the tip, white without a colored area in the middle of the inner surface. Column 1.5 mm long, green.
Flowering - August - October. Habitat - Dry, upland forests and bluff tops, mostly on acidic substrates, typically upland pine, oak, or hickory forest; old fields, dry roadsides, often in dry, sterile, cherty or sandy soils; less commonly in lawns. Origin - Native to the U.S. Lookalikes - Other species of Spiranthes, especially S. lacera. Other info. - This is a fairly common species in Missouri, though it is restricted mostly to the southeastern half of the state. In fact, Missouri lies at the northwestern corner of the plant's natural range, which extends eastward to the Atlantic Coast and southward to the Gulf coast. Many species of Spiranthes appear similar. This one is characterized by having a single spiral of flowers, which are small, and a smooth, glabrous inflorescence axis. Each plant typically has one tuberous root but some plants have the tuberous root persisting from the previous season and thus have two roots. Photographs taken at Fort Benning GA., 6-28-05 (DETenaglia); also near Corry Branch glade, Dade County, MO, 8-5-2024 (SRTurner). |
