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Spiranthes praecox
Greenvein Ladiestresses
Giant Ladies'-tresses
Synonym(s): Spiranthes sylvatica
Florida native
A common terrestrial orchid of wet flatwoods, open wet disturbed sites and marshes. The range extends throughout much of the southeastern Unites States, west into Texas, Okalahoma and Missouri, north into Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Not known to occur in Tennessee.
The appressed sepals are distinctive for this species, held tight against the corolla to form a tubular-shaped flower. The corolla is white, 6-9mm (1/4 - 3/8 in.) long and sometimes with green or pale yellow veins. The lower lip has a delicate undulate margin. Ten to 40 flowers are arranged in a spiral that may be dense or loose. Plants are 20-75cm (8 - 30 in.) tall with two to five basal grass-like leaves up to 20cm (8 in.)long and less than 1 cm (4/10 in.) wide. The cauline leaves are mostly clasping and reduced upwards on the stem.
Spiranthes praecox is a member of the Orchidaceae - Orchid family.
Other species of the Spiranthes genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Spiranthes brevilabris - TEXAS LADY'S TRESSES
Spiranthes cernua - NODDING LADIESTRESSES
Spiranthes eatonii - EATON'S LADIESTRESSES
Spiranthes laciniata - LACELIP LADIESTRESSES
Spiranthes odorata - FRAGRANT LADIESTRESSES
Spiranthes sylvatica - WOODLAND LADIESTRESSES
Spiranthes vernalis - SPRING LADIESTRESSES
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Oct 28, 2021
