Spiranthes cernua (Common ladies’-tresses)

Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich.

Ibidium cernuum (L.) House

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

Common 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.

Identification: Plants are up to 16" (40 cm) tall, though most of this height is the flower stalk. 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. 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, with small sharp-tipped petals. Flowers appear between August and November. Ladies’-tresses prefer moist, sandy soils.

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

9/18/2017 · Purgatory Falls, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 8" (14 × 20 cm)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 8" (20 × 19 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 6" (11 × 15 cm)

9/18/2017 · Purgatory Falls, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire
≈ 4½ × 5" (12 × 12 cm)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 8" (15 × 21 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4½" (7.9 × 11 cm)

9/25/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 6" (12 × 16 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 4½" (10 × 12 cm)

9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 4½" (10 × 11 cm)

Spiranthes cernua description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

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)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 4½" (9.4 × 11 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 7" (12 × 17 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.4 × 13 cm)

9/11/2017 · Mt. Watatic, access road, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4½" (7.9 × 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
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.6 × 12 cm)

9/4/2013 · Amos Kendall Conservation Area, Dunstable, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 9" (16 × 23 cm)

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

Range:

About this map...