Spiranthes vernalis |
Spiranthes brevilabris |
|
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spring ladies'-tresses, spring lady's tresses |
Texas ladies'-tresses, Texas lady's tresses |
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Habit | Plants 20–65 cm. | Plants 7–40 cm. |
Roots | numerous, spreading, mostly to 1 cm diam., stout. |
few, spreading to descending, mostly to 0.5 cm diam., slender. |
Leaves | persisting through anthesis, to 4–5, basal, reduced to sheathing bracts upward on stem, spreading, linear-lanceolate, keeled, 5–25 × 1 cm. |
usually persisting through anthesis, 3–5, basal, spreading, oval-oblanceolate, 2–6 × 1–2 cm. |
Inflorescences | spikes loosely to tightly spiraled, 3–7 or more flowers per cycle of spiral, sometimes nearly secund; rachis densely pubescent, trichomes articulate, pointed, capitate glands absent. |
spikes secund to loosely spiraled, 8–10 flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis densely pubescent, some trichomes capitate to clavate, glands obviously stalked. |
Flowers | nodding to somewhat ascending, white to cream, mostly gaping; sepals distinct to base, lanceolate, 6–10 × 2–3 mm; lateral sepals spreading; petals oblong, 6–9 × 2 mm, apex obtuse; lip creamy yellow centrally or some individuals with 2 brown-orange spots, ovate, 5–8 × 4 mm; veins of lip straight, branches parallel; basal calli conic, to 1 mm; viscidium linear-lanceolate; ovary mostly 8 mm. |
cream to pale yellow; sepals distinct to base, 5 × 1 mm; lateral sepals appressed; petals linear to lance-oblong, 5 × 1 mm, apex acute to obtuse; lip yellow centrally, ovate to oblong, 5 × 2.5 mm, apex dilated, yellow, pubescent, apical margin crisped, finely lacerate; veins several, branches very short; basal calli long-pointed, mostly to 1 mm; viscidium linear-lanceolate; ovary mostly 3 mm. |
Seeds | monoembryonic. |
monoembryonic. |
2n | = 30. |
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Spiranthes vernalis |
Spiranthes brevilabris |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jan (Fla)–Oct (north). | Flowering Feb–Apr. |
Habitat | Dry to moist meadows, dune hollows, prairies, old fields, roadsides, cemeteries, lawns | Dry to moist roadsides and fields |
Elevation | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MO; MS; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
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AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; TX
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Discussion | The habit of Spiranthes vernalis is variable: inflorescences range from secund to loosely and even densely coiled, and flower shapes vary as well. The most consistent diagnostic character is the presence in inflorescences of copious articulate, pointed trichomes that readily distinguish S. vernalis from similar species. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Spiranthes brevilabris and S. floridana are often and easily confused, although the degree of pubescence is an excellent diagnostic tool in the field. This species has dramatically declined, with only a single extant population known in 1998–2000. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 534. | FNA vol. 26. |
Parent taxa | Orchidaceae > subfam. Orchidoideae > tribe Cranichideae > subtribe Spiranthinae > Spiranthes | Orchidaceae > subfam. Orchidoideae > tribe Cranichideae > subtribe Spiranthinae > Spiranthes |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Ibidium vernale | S. gracilis var. brevilabris |
Name authority | Engelmann & A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 236. (1845) | Lindley: Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 471. (1840) |
Web links |