Spiranthes cernua (Common ladies’-tresses)

Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich.

Common ladies’-tresses, nodding ladies’ tresses

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Orchidaceae	Orchid family
Genus	Spiranthes	From the Greek speira, “spiral,” and anthos, “flower,” referring to the coiled or spiral character of the inflorescence, and hence the common name “ladies tresses”
Species	cernua	Latin for “nodding”

About plant names...

I think of orchids as relatively large, outrageously colorful, tropical plants of limitless variety. But these common, diminutive orchids (along with many others) prefer cooler climes. They are native to the United States. Ladies’-tresses prefer moist, sandy soils.

Plants: Up to 16" (40 cm) tall, though most of this height is the flower stalk.

Leaves: A few long, narrow leaves occur, mostly at the base of the plant; they are dull (not shiny) 4-8" (10-20 cm) long and ⅛-¾" (5-20 mm) wide.

Flowers: The raceme (flowerhead) is up to 4½" (12 cm) high, roughly cone-shaped, on a single stem well above the leaves. Tiny white flowers about ⅜" (1 cm) long spiral around the spike. Flowers are tubular in shape, yellow in the center, with small sharp-tipped petals. Flowers appear between August and November.

Here are some similar species:

9/18/2017 · Purgatory Falls, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 8" (15 × 20 cm)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 7 × 8" (17 × 19 cm)

	You are here Spiranthes cernua	*Spiranthes lucida*	*Spiranthes romanzoffiana*
Common Name	common ladies’-tresses	shining ladies’-tresses	hooded ladies’-tresses
Plant	Up to 16" (40 cm) tall, though most of this height is the flower stalk.	1½-16" (4-40 cm) high, with leaves only at the base.	2½-16" (7-40 cm) high.
Flowers	The raceme (flowerhead) is up to 4½" (12 cm) high, roughly cone-shaped, on a single stem well above the leaves. Tiny white flowers about ⅜" (1 cm) long spiral around the spike. Flowers are tubular in shape, *yellow in the center*, with small sharp-tipped petals. Flowers appear between August and November.	Up to 20 flowers are wrapped in a tight spiral on a *hairy* spike. Sepals are ~³/₁₆" (5-5.5 mm) long, and fused at the base for ~0.7 mm. The interior of the tubular flower is *yellow, with green lines*.	Up to 40 flowers are arranged spirally around a *nearly hairless* spike ¾-6" (2-14 cm) high. Sepals and petals are *fused together, and ¼-⅜" (8-12 mm) long. They appear from May to September. Sepals are broad and white*
Leaves	A few long, narrow leaves occur, mostly at the base of the plant; they are 4-8" (10-20 cm) long and ⅛-¾" (5-20 mm) wide.	3-5 light green basal leaves are lanceolate to oblong, up to 4½" (12 cm) long and ¼-½" (7-15 mm) wide. They are distinctly *shiny*.	2 to 3, rarely up to 5 Basal leaves are 2½-8" (7-20 cm) × ⅛-⅜" (6-12 mm). Leaves are linear or lanceolate.
Fruit		Seeds have a net-veined coating.
Range/ Zones
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild

Online References:

Spiranthes cernua on Missouriplants.com

Spiranthes cernua on www.botany.wisc.edu

Spiranthes cernua at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Spiranthes cernua on Ontario Wildflowers

Spiranthes cernua on eFloras

References:

Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 380

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 4½" (9.4 × 11 cm)

9/18/2017 · Purgatory Falls, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
≈ 3 × 5" (8.4 × 12 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 2½ × 3½" (6.1 × 9.5 cm)

9/25/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 6" (13 × 16 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4" (8.2 × 9.9 cm)

9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 14 cm)

9/18/2017 · Purgatory Falls, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
≈ 4 × 4" (11 × 10 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 7" (12 × 17 cm)

Ibidium cernuum (L.) House

Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich. var. incurva Jennings

Spiranthes cernua description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 6 Sep 2021.

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 4" (9.3 × 10 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 2½ × 4" (7 × 10 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4½" (7.9 × 12 cm)

8/30/2021 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 3½ × 4½" (9.4 × 12 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 2½ × 4½" (7.3 × 11 cm)

9/14/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4½" (7.9 × 11 cm)

9/4/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Area, Dunstable, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 9" (15 × 23 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 15 cm)

Range:

About this map...