Spiranthes ovalis

Spiranthes ovalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Monocots
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Subfamily:Orchidoideae
Genus:Spiranthes
Species: S. ovalis
Binomial name
Spiranthes ovalis

Spiranthes ovalis, commonly called the October lady's tresses,[1] is a species of orchid that is native to eastern North America.

Its range is widely distributed, being found from Texas to Florida, north to the Great Lakes.[2] However, it is uncommon throughout most of its range,[3] which has resulted in a patchy known distribution. Its natural habitat is in wet to mesic forests and woodlands.[3][4]

It produces delicate white flowers in the fall.[5] It can be distinguished from other Spiranthes in eastern North America by its small, tightly spiraled flowers, and the presence of basal leaves at flowering time.[3][4]

Taxonomy

Two varieties of Spiranthes ovalis are recognized.[6] They are:

  • S. ovalis var. erostellata - Flowers closed, self-pollinating; widespread across the eastern North America
  • S. ovalis var. ovalis - Flowers open, cross-pollinating; restricted to the Southeastern Coastal Plain

References

  1. ↑ "Spiranthes ovalis". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  2. ↑ "Spiranthes ovalis". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Spiranthes ovalis North American Orchid Conservation Center
  4. 1 2 Alan Weakley (2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States".
  5. ↑ MissouriPlants
  6. ↑ Flora of North America, Spiranthes ovalis
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.