Spiranthes ovalis Lindl. var. erostellata Catling

Lesser Ladies' Tresses; October Ladies' Tresses

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

October Ladies' Tresses is a native herbaceous perennial in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It occurs in scattered locations throughout Alabama. October Ladies' Tresses grows on floodplains, and on moist hardwood forested slopes along creeks and rivers. It often grows on sites that are infrequently flooded. October Ladies' Tresses has 2-5 basal or lower stem leaves that persist through flowering. The leaves are linear to oblanceolate in outline, recurved spreading, and have entire margins. The flowers occur in a tight spiral on a spike that is 3-10 inches in height. The flowers are produced in the late autumn. The rachis is pubescent with club-shaped and glandular hairs. The flowers are pure white in color. The fruit is a capsule with numerous dust-like seed. October Ladies' Tresses differs from Oval Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes ovalis Lindl.) in that he flowers generally do not open fully, and lack a rostellum (a projecting part of the column that separates the male androecium from the female gynoecium) and viscidium (a sticky pad on the caudicle or stipe of a pollinium).—A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL)

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