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Spiranthes romanzoffiana — hooded ladies'-tresses

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Hooded ladies'-tresses is broadly distributed across northern North America, and oddly, in the far western extremes of England, Scotland and Ireland. These populations are considered endangered in Europe, where seed set has almost never been observed.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont
Leaf arrangement
  • alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
  • basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
Number of leaves on stem
  • absent
  • one
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
  • 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
4.8–10.2 mm
Sepal length
5.3–12.5 mm
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Flower petal color
    • green
    • white
    • yellow
    Flower symmetry
    there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
    Flowering date
    • August
    • July
    • September
    Flowers per inflorescence
    4–45
    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
    30–100 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
    Length of narrowed base of lower petal
    0 mm
    Lobes at base of lower petal
    0 mm
    Lower petal characteristics
    the labellum is simple in form
    Lower petal length
    4.8–10.2 mm
    Lower petal outline
    the labellum is simple in form
    Lower petal strongly red-veined
    no
    Main color of lower petal
    • green to brown
    • 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
    Self-pollinating flowers
    there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
    Sepal length
    5.3–12.5 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
    • the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
    • 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
    • alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    • 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
    75–260 mm
    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)
    • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    • the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
    Leaf blade tip
    the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    Leaf blade width
    Up to 30 mm
    Leaves during flowering
    • there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering
    • there are no leaves on the plant when it is flowering
    Number of leaves on stem
    • absent
    • one

  • Place

    Habitat
    • terrestrial
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • edges of wetlands
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • meadows or fields
    • shores of rivers or lakes

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
historical (S-rank: SH)
Massachusetts
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
Vermont
uncommon (S-rank: S3)

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Spiranthes ochroleuca:
labellum weakly constricted near the apex, with obscure veins on the adaxial surface that have parallel to somewhat diverging branches (vs. S. romanzoffiana, with labellum with a deep, subapical constriction at ca. 2/3 distance from the base, prominently green-veined, the branches of the veins wide-spreading toward the margins).
Spiranthes cernua:
labellum weakly constricted near the apex, with obscure veins on the adaxial surface that have parallel to somewhat diverging branches (vs. S. romanzoffiana, with labellum with a deep, subapical constriction at ca. 2/3 distance from the base, prominently green-veined, the branches of the veins wide-spreading toward the margins).

Synonyms

  • Gyrostachys stricta Rydb.
  • Ibidium strictum (Rydb.) House
  • Spiranthes stricta (Rydb.) A. Nels.

Family

Orchidaceae

Genus

Spiranthes

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

6.  Spiranthes romanzoffiana Cham. N

hooded ladies’-tresses. Gyrostachys stricta Rydb.; Ibidium strictum (Rydb.) House; Spiranthes stricta (Rydb.) A. Nels. • CT, MA, ME, NH, VT. Mesic to hydric open sites including shorelines, meadows, and wetland edges.