Spiranthes praecox (Walter) S. Watson

Giant Ladies' Tresses, Grass Leaved Ladies' Tresses

Flowers: Spiranthes praecox. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

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

Fruits: Spiranthes praecox. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Plant form: Spiranthes praecox. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Facts About

Accepted Synonyms: Ibidium praecox

Spiranthes praecox, commonly called Grass Leaved Ladies' Tresses, is distributed in the southeastern United States and around the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Maryland. It produces up to 7 basal leaves, and bears an inflorescence of up to 40 white or rarely green flowers. The inflorescence is covered in small hairs, and the labellum has distinct green veins. The lateral sepals are joined to the labellum, giving it a tube-like appearance. It can be distinguished from other Spiranthes species by the distinctive green venation on the labellum. It can be found in dry to moist prairies, meadows, pinelands, and occasionally bogs. It is known to form a hybrid with S. vernalis, named S. x meridionalis.

Spiranthes praecox is considered globally secure, although it is rare or vulnerable throughout much of the East Coast.

Pollination

Pollinator information for this orchid has not been reported.

Ecosystem Type

Bogs, meadows, prairie

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: basal

Number of leaves on stem:: absent

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

Labellum outline:: the labellum is simple

Main color of labellum:

green to brown
white

Nectar spur:: absent

Inflorescence type:: the inflorescence is a spike

Labellum characteristics:: the labellum is simple

Labellum length:: 5–11 mm

Sepal length:: 5–10 mm

Plant height:: 20–75 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Floral bract length:

Up to 10 mm
Flower petal color:
green

white
Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
February

March

April

May

June

July

August

Spiranthes praecox may bloom as early as February in Florida and as late as August in the northern portion of its range.
Flowers per inflorescence:

10–40

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is not pouch-like

Hairs on inflorescence axis:

the inflorescence stem has at least some hairs with glands

Inflorescence length:

30–150 mm

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence is a spike

Labellum characteristics:

the labellum is simple

Labellum length:

5–11 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is simple

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no
Main color of labellum:
green to brown

white
Nectar spur:

absent

Number of stamens:

1

Orientation of side petals:

the lateral petals are ascending

Pollen sacs:

the pollinia remain intact and do not fragment into smaller parts

Self-pollinating flowers:

there are no cleistogamous flowers

Sepal length:

5–10 mm

Sepals fused only to sepals:

the sepals are separate from one another
Shape of viscidium:
lanceolate

linear
Spots on labellum:

no
Fruits or seeds

Fruit length:

Up to 8 mm

Fruit width:

Up to 6 mm

Seed capsule orientation:

the capsule points upwards or outwards
Growth form

Plant height:

20–75 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid

Underground organs:

slender roots

myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
Bract relative length:

the bract is longer than the associated flower

Leaf arrangement:

basal

Leaf blade edges:

the leaf edges are entire

Leaf blade length:

50–250 mm

Leaf blade length to width ratio:

Up to 5
Leaf blade shape:
lanceolate

linear
Leaf blade tip:

the tip of the leaf blade is acute

Leaf blade width:

10–50 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are present during flowering

Number of leaves on stem:

absent
Place
Ecosystem type:
bogs

meadows

prairie
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alabama

Arkansas

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Maryland

Mississippi

North Carolina

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia
Facts and Uses

Mycorrhiza

Monitoring

Propagation

Restoration

Native to North America

Yes

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

Select a location to view conservation status:

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

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

	Conservation status for: Arkansas
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Arkansas Rank	Highly State Rare
Arkansas Status	Species of Concern
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Delaware
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Delaware Rank	Possible Extirpated
Delaware Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

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

	Conservation status for: Georgia
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Georgia Rank	Watch List
Georgia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Kentucky
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Kentucky Rank	N/A
Kentucky Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

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

	Conservation status for: Maryland
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Maryland Rank	Possible Extirpated
Maryland Status	Historical
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Mississippi
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Mississippi Rank	N/A
Mississippi Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: North Carolina
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
North Carolina Rank	Watch List
North Carolina Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Oklahoma
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Oklahoma Rank	Possible Extirpated
Oklahoma Status	Historical
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

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

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

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

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