Spiranthes lucida

Illustrator: Barbara Alongi

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants 4–37 cm. Roots spreading to descending, slender, mostly to 0.6 cm diam. Leaves persisting through and long after anthesis, 3–4, basal, ascending-spreading, elliptic-lanceolate, 3–12 × 0.5–1.5 cm. Spikes rather openly spiraled, 3–4 flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis sparsely to moderately pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked. Flowers nearly horizontal to abruptly nodding from base, white, tubular; sepals linear-oblong; dorsal sepal connate at base, 4.5–5.5 mm; lateral sepals appressed to petals and lip, straight, 5–6 mm × 1–2 mm; petals linear-oblong, 5–6 × 2–4 mm, apex obtuse; lip brilliant yellow or yellow-orange, centrally greenish yellow, oblong, 5–6 × 2–4 mm, margins crenulate, veins several, greenish, branches few, very short, mostly widely diverging, sometimes forming reticulum with primary veins; basal calli spreading, 1 mm; viscidium oval; ovary 3–8 mm. Seeds monoembryonic. 2n = 44.

Phenology: Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat: Rocky and sandy riverbanks, calcareous seeps, fens, 0–900 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

N.B., N.S., Ont., Que., Conn., Del., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Maine, Mass., Mich., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.