Spiranthes lucida (H.H. Eaton) Ames
Shining ladies’-tresses, shining lady’s tresses
Shining ladies’-tresses are native to eastern North America.
Plants: 1½–16″ (4–40 cm) high, with leaves only at the base.
Leaves: 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.
Flowers: 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. Flowers appear from May to early July, earlier than similar species.
Fruits: Seeds have a net-veined coating.
Habitats: Saturated, calcium-bearing, and gravelly or sandy soils, such as damp thickets and meadows.
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Similar species. |
Online References:
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 380
Ibidium plantagineum (Raf.) House
8/28/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 14 cm) 
8/28/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| 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 | lucida | Glossy, clear or shining |
Spiranthes lucida description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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