Spiranthes ochroleuca
Spiranthes odorata
yellow ladies'-tresses, yellow nodding ladies'-tresses, yellow nodding lady's tresses
marsh ladies'-tresses, marsh lady's tresses
few, horizontally spreading, slender, mostly to 0.4 cm diam.
several, horizontally spreading, slender, mostly to 0.3 cm diam.
persisting through anthesis, basal, sometimes on basal portion of stem, spreading, linear-oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, to 21 × 2 cm.
persisting through anthesis, basal, gradually or occasionally abruptly reduced upward on stem, base of blade sheathing stem or narrowed to broad petiole over 7 mm wide, ascending to spreading (rigidly so because of aerenchymatous thickening of blade);
blades on proximal cauline sheaths spreading-recurved, frequently also on distal (then extending to inflorescence), elliptic to oblong- or linear-oblanceolate, to 52 × 4 cm.
rather loosely to very tightly spiraled, 3–4 flowers per cycle of spiral, occasionally 5 or more in very loose spiral;
rachis moderately pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked.
tightly spiraled, 3–4 flowers per cycle of spiral;
rachis moderately pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked.
ochroleucous, ivory, creamy, yellowish, or greenish white, ascending, urceolate to somewhat gaping, claw of lip at pronounced (20–60°) angle to lamina, base cuneate, appearing strongly inflated;
sepals distinct to base, 6–14 mm;
lateral sepals appressed to petals and lip, straight, separated from dorsal sepal by mostly 0.7–1 mm;
petals linear to linear-oblong, 6–13 mm, apex acute to obtuse;
lip often more yellow centrally, oblong to ovate, 7–12 × 4–7 mm, margins crenulate, glabrous;
veins several, branches parallel;
basal calli incurved, prominent, very rarely conic, 1–2 mm;
viscidia linear;
ovary 3–7 mm.
nodding, white, urceolate to gaping, claw of lip at low (less than 30°) angle to lamina, base appearing only slightly inflated;
sepals distinct to base, 4–18 mm;
lateral sepals loosely associated with dorsal and petals or spreading, sometimes arching above flower;
petals lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 4–18 mm, apex acute to obtuse or emarginate;
lip often yellow or green centrally, rhombic-ovate to ovate or lance-ovate, 4–16 × (4–)7–9.5 mm, fleshy, margins lacerate-crenulate, glabrous;
veins several, branches parallel;
basal calli incurved, prominent, sometimes conic in small flowers, 0.2–2.5 mm;
viscidia linear to linear-lanceolate;
ovary 4–8 mm.
monoembryonic.
monoembryonic.
= 30.
= 30.
Spiranthes ochroleuca
Spiranthes odorata
While leaves of Spiranthes ochroleuca are usually present at anthesis, in prairie populations they are commonly absent.
Spiranthes ×steigeri was described as a hybrid of S. cernua and S. romanzoffiana, but additional study (P. M. Catling 1984) has shown the plants to be referable to S. ochroleuca.
See notes on gene flow and apomixis under 14. Spiranthes cernua.
Hybrids of Spiranthes ochroleuca with S. casei are known as S. ×borealis P. M. Brown.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Spiranthes odorata typically occurs in seasonally inundated sites and may bloom while emerging from shallow water. The rather thick, broad leaves are aerenchymatous and give the plant a distinctive vegetative habit. The very long, wide-spreading roots produce vegetative offshoots often 30 cm from the parent shoot, giving rise to extensive clonal colonies. At its extreme southern range limit in Florida, individual plants may bloom sporadically throughout much of the year.
The northern range limit of the species along the Atlantic Coast is uncertain; see notes on gene flow and apomixis under 14. Spiranthes cernua.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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