Slender Ladies' Tresses

Plants 15–65 cm. Roots few–several, spreading to descending, mostly to 0.75 cm diam., slender to stout. Leaves, basal, spreading, obovate, 2–5 × 1–2 cm. Spikes secund to tightly spiraled, 8–10 flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis glabrous to sparsely pubescent, trichomes capitate to clavate, glands obviously stalked. Flowers white; sepals somewhat spreading, distinct to base, elliptic, 5 × 1 mm; lateral sepals white throughout, apex acuminate; petals lanceolate, slightly oblique, 5 × 1 mm; lip white with green or yellowish green center, ovate to oblong, 5 × 2.5 mm, apex dilated, its margin crisped-crenate, pubescent; veins obscure; basal calli erect, short-pointed, mostly to 1 mm; viscidium linear-lanceolate; ovary mostly 3 mm. Seeds monoembryonic.

Neottia lacera Rafinesque, Amer. Monthly Mag. & Crit. Rev. 2: 206. 1818

Spiranthes lacera, commonly called the slender ladies'-tresses, is a species of orchid that is native to Eastern North America. It has a widespread range and is found in a variety of open habitats, both natural and disturbed. It produces a spiral of white flowers in the summer.

There are two varieties recognized:

S. lacera var. gracilis - Southern slender ladies' tresses, flowers more densely arranged in spiral, blooming later (late-July through August). Plant hairless and leaves usually absent at flowering. S. lacera var. lacera - Northern slender ladies' tresses, flowers more loosely arranged in spiral, blooming earlier (mid-July). Plant hairy and leaves usually present at flowering.