Spiranthes tuberosa Raf.

Little Ladies' Tresses; Little Pearl Twist

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Little Ladies’ Tresses is a native perennial herb in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Little Ladies’ Tresses occurs in open dry woodlands, on roadsides, in lawns, and in cemeteries. It is a perennial with a vertical tuberous root. The stems are erect, un-branched, glabrous, and green in color. The stems range in height from 4-10 inches. The 3-5 basal leaves are oval to lanceolate in outline, and absent at flowering. The small white flowers are produced in terminal spikes. The flowers are in loose spirals, with 4-7 flowers per twist. The rachis is glabrous. The lateral sepals are slightly spreading. The lip petal has a crisped margin, and is pure white. The fruit is a capsule. Little Ladies’ Tresses is a common but often overlooked orchid due to its small size. The overwintering leaves are dark green in color and conspicuous in low grass during the winter.—A. Diamond.

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Native

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