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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Spiranthes ovalis var. erostellata

Oval Ladies'-tresses, Lesser Ladies'-tresses, October Ladies'-tresses, Ladies' Tresses

Scientific Name:

Spiranthes ovalis var. erostellata

Genus:

Spiranthes

Species Epithet:

ovalis

Common Name:

Oval Ladies'-tresses, Lesser Ladies'-tresses, October Ladies'-tresses, Ladies' Tresses

Plant Type

Herb/Wildflower

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

1-3 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

White

Light:

Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day, Less than 2 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Moist, Wet

Bloom Time:

August, September, October, November

Growing Area:

Piedmont, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Swamp forests, bottomland forests, hammocks, ravine forests. Uncommon in NC Piedmont and Coastal Plain.

Leaf Arrangement:

Basal

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

No known wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Suitable for home landscapes

State Rank:

S2: Imperiled, S3: Vulnerable (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure, G_?: Uncertain (add status to NOTES section) (*Key)

Notes:

Per North American Orchid Conservation Center "Spiranthes ovalis var. erostellata lacks a rostellum and is self-pollinating. It can be distinguished from S. cernua by its smaller size and its preference for more forested habitats; the absence of a central green or yellow spot on the labellum distinguishes it from S. lacera. It grows in moist, shady woodlands and forests, in thickets, and occasionally along the edges of marshes."

Blooming Plant

image

© David R. McAdoo

Closeup of Blooms

image

© David R. McAdoo

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
North American Orchid Conservation Center
Flora of North America
 



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