Spiranthes lucida — shining ladies'-tresses
![Flowers: Spiranthes lucida. ~ By Bruce Patterson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Bruce Patterson. ~ foxpatterson[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/spiranthes-lucida-fl-bpatterson-a.jpg)
![Leaves: Spiranthes lucida. ~ By West Virgina University Press. ~ Copyright © 2024 West Virgina University Press. ~ Carrie Mullen, carrie.mullen[at]mail.wva.edu ~ P.D. Strasbaugh and Earl L. Core, Flora of West Virginia. 1970. West Virginia U. Press, Morgantown, WV](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/spiranthes-lucida-le-florawva1.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Spiranthes lucida. ~ By Bruce Patterson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Bruce Patterson. ~ foxpatterson[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/spiranthes-lucida-in-bpatterson-b.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Spiranthes lucida. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/spiranthes-lucida-in-ahaines.jpg)
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeFacts
Shining ladies'-tresses is found in all New England states on river and lake shores, seeps and meadows, especially on high-pH sites. This species differs from the other New England members of its genus (Spiranthes), in having flower morphology more adapted to the small, short-tongued bees in the sweat bee family (Halictidae), whereas the other species are morphologically adapted to the larger long-tongued bees, such as bumblebees (Bombus) and leaf cutting bees (Megachilide).
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, riverine (in rivers or streams), shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Number of leaves on stem
- absent
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is simple in form
- Main color of lower petal
-
- green to brown
- orange
- white
- yellow
- Nectar spur
- there are no nectar spurs on the flower
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
- Lower petal characteristics
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 5–6 mm
- Sepal length
- 4.5–6 mm
-
Flowers
- Flower petal color
- white
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowering date
-
- July
- June
- Flowers per inflorescence
- 5–21
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Hairs on flower stalk
- NA
- Hairs on inflorescence axis
- at least some of the hairs on the main stem of the inflorescence have glands
- Inflorescence length
- 20–70 mm
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
- Labellum position
- the labellum is in the lower position on the flower
- Length of flower stalk
- 0 mm
- Lobes at base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Lower petal characteristics
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 5–6 mm
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal strongly red-veined
- no
- Main color of lower petal
-
- green to brown
- orange
- white
- yellow
- Nectar spur
- there are no nectar spurs on the flower
- Nectar spur length
- 0 mm
- Number of stamens
- 1
- Orientation of side petals
-
- the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards
- the lateral petals slant outward
- Self-pollinating flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
- Sepal length
- 4.5–6 mm
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- Shape of viscidium
- the viscidium is oval
- Spots on lower petal
- no
- Spur opening membrane
- NA
- Spur opening shape
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Seed capsule orientation
- the capsule points upwards or is angled outwards
-
Growth form
- Plant green or not
- the plant is chlorophyllous (it has green parts)
- Roots
- the rhizomes do not resemble coral
- Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bract relative length
- the bract is shorter than the associated flower
- Features of leaves
- the leaf does not have any of the mentioned special features
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 30–120 mm
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 6–8
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade width
- 5–15 mm
- Leaves during flowering
- there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering
- Number of bracts on stem
- 2–3
- Number of leaves on stem
- absent
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- in rivers or streams
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- shores of rivers or lakes
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)
- Massachusetts
- rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S2?)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Rhode Island
- historical (S-rank: SH), state historical (code: SH)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Spiranthes lacera:
- basal leaves narrow-ovate to obovate, 1-3.5 times as long as wide, present after or anthesis or withering, and plants flowering July through mid-September (vs. S. lucida, basal leaves elliptic-lanceolate, mostly 4-6 times as long as wide, and plants flowering June through July).
Synonyms
- Ibidium plantagineum Raf.
- Neottia lucida H.H. Eat.
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
4. Spiranthes lucida (H.H. Eat.) Ames N
shining ladies’-tresses. Ibidium plantagineum Raf.; Neottia lucida H.H. Eat. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. River and lake shores, most prevalent in areas influenced by high-pH bedrock, also in seeps and meadows.