Spiranthes eatonii Ames ex P.M.Br.

Eaton's Ladies' Tresses

Leaves: Spiranthes eatonii. ~ By Eric Soehren. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Flowers: Spiranthes eatonii. ~ By Mark Larocque. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Flowers: Spiranthes eatonii. ~ By Jen Modliszewski. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Inflorescences: Spiranthes eatonii. ~ By Jim Fowler. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Facts About

There are no synonyms for this orchid.

Spiranthes eatonii, commonly known as Eaton's Ladies' Tresses, is distributed along the coastal plain throughout Florida west to eastern Texas, and north to Virginia. This species produces 3-6 narrow leaves in a basal rosette that wither quickly at time of flowering. The inflorescence has 10-35 white flowers arranged in a single rank spiral that bloom in late March through early May. S. eatonii is the only white-flowered, basal-leaved Spiranthes within its range to bloom at this time of year. This orchid grows in roadsides, cemeteries, dry pine flatwoods, sandy open meadows, and saw palmetto scrub areas.

Spiranthes eatonii is considered vulnerable throughout its range and imperiled in North Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Pollination

Pollinator information for this orchid has not been reported.

Ecosystem Type

Disturbed habitats, grassland, marshes, meadows, woodlands

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: basal

Number of leaves on stem:

two
three

Form of the labellum:: the labellum is not pouch-like

Labellum outline:: the labellum is simple

Main color of labellum:: white

Nectar spur:: absent

Inflorescence type:: the inflorescence is a spike

Labellum characteristics:: the labellum is simple

Labellum length:: 3–5 mm

Sepal length:: 3–4.5 mm

Plant height:: 20–50 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Flower petal color:

white

Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
March

April

May
Flowers per inflorescence:

10–35

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is not pouch-like

Hairs on flower stalk:

the pedicel has at least some hairs with glands at their bases or tips

Hairs on inflorescence axis:

the inflorescence stem has at least some hairs with glands

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence is a spike

Inflorescence width:

anything

Labellum characteristics:

the labellum is simple

Labellum length:

3–5 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is simple

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no

Main color of labellum:

white

Nectar spur:

absent

Number of stamens:

1

Orientation of side petals:

the lateral petals are ascending

Self-pollinating flowers:

there are no cleistogamous flowers

Sepal length:

3–4.5 mm

Sepals fused only to sepals:

the sepals are separate from one another

Shape of viscidium:

linear

Spots on labellum:

no

Spur opening membrane:

there is no membrane over the spur opening
Fruits or seeds

Seed capsule orientation:

the capsule points upwards or outwards
Growth form

Plant height:

20–50 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid

Underground organs:

the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms

myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
Bract relative length:

the bract is longer than the associated flower

Features of leaves:

N/A

Leaf arrangement:

basal

Leaf blade edges:

the leaf edges are entire

Leaf blade length:

50–60 mm

Leaf blade length to width ratio:

6–7.1

Leaf blade shape:

oblanceolate

Leaf blade tip:

the tip of the leaf blade is acute

Leaf blade width:

7–10 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are absent during flowering
Number of leaves on stem:
two

three
Place
Ecosystem type:
disturbed habitats

grasslands

marshes

meadows

woodlands
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alabama

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

North Carolina

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia
Facts and Uses

Mycorrhiza

Monitoring

Propagation

Restoration

Native to North America

Yes

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

	Conservation and Wetland Status
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Alabama
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Alabama Rank	N/A
Alabama Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Florida
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Florida Rank	N/A
Florida Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Georgia
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Georgia Rank	State Rare
Georgia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Louisiana
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Louisiana Rank	N/A
Louisiana Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Mississippi
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Mississippi Rank	Highly State Rare
Mississippi Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: North Carolina
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
North Carolina Rank	State Rare
North Carolina Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: South Carolina
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
South Carolina Rank	N/A
South Carolina Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Texas
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Texas Rank	N/A
Texas Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: Virginia
Global Rank	Vulnerable
US Status	N/A
Virginia Rank	N/A
Virginia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

North America Distribution

Adapted from USDA data

Facts About

Pollination

Ecosystem Type

Characteristics

Flowers

Fruits or seeds

Growth form

Leaves

Place

Facts and Uses

Native to North America

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

North America Distribution