Spiranthes sylvatica, the woodland ladies' tresses or pale-green ladies'-tresses is a terrestrial orchid endemic to the United States, very similar in appearance and range to Spiranthes praecox which it had been considered a variation of for a long time.[1][2]
| Woodland ladies' tresses | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Cranichideae |
| Genus: | Spiranthes |
| Species: | S. sylvatica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Spiranthes sylvatica P.M.Brown
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Description
editSpiranthes sylvatica plants are a species of tall spiranthes, up to 80 cm high with up to 7 basal leaves. There are 10-30 greenish white flowers arranged in a spiral around the stem. Just like in Spiranthes praecox the lip of each flower has prominent dark green veins. Besides the more greenish flower color another difference of Spiranthes sylvatica to Spiranthes praecox is a larger flower size, 10-17 mm as opposed to 6-9 mm. Bloom time is March to June.[1][2]
Distribution and habitat
editSpiranthes sylvatica is native to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.[1][2][3][4]
It grows in dry forests near the coast such as in live oak hammocks.[2]
Taxonomy
editSpiranthes sylvatica was first described as a separate species by Paul Martin Brown in 2001. Before that it had been considered a variation of Spiranthes praecox. [5]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Spiranthes sylvatica". North American Orchid Conservation Center (NAOOC), Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d LeGrand, Harry. "Account for Woodland Ladies'-tresses". Vascular Plants of North Carolina. North Carolina Biodiversity Project and North Carolina State Parks. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "Spiranthes sylvatica". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Spiranthes sylvatica P.M. Brown". Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora. Virginia Botanical Associates. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Spiranthes sylvatica". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
Media related to Spiranthes sylvatica at Wikimedia Commons
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