Spiranthes cernua

Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich.

Ibidium cernuum (L.) House

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

Common Ladies’-tresses

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 at the Orchids of Wisconsin

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, NH
≈ 6 × 8" (14 × 20 cm)

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

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

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

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

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

10/3/2018 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA

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

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

Spiranthes cernua description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 12 Oct 2018.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9/14/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.6 × 12 cm)

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

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

Range:

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