''Spiranthes brevilabris'', the short lipped ladies' tresses or Texas lady's tresses is a rare and endangered

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

native to the southeastern United States.

Variations

There are two recognized variations: * ''Spiranthes brevilabris var. brevilabris'' * ''Spiranthes brevilabris var. floridana''

Description

''Spiranthes brevilabris'' plants are 7–40 cm tall, with 3-5 basal leaves usually present when flowering. Flowers are arranged in a spiral around the stem, with a cream white to ivory yellow color. The inside of the lip is yellow. Bloom time is February to April.

Distribution and habitat

''Spiranthes brevilabris'' can be found in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, with historic records from

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, Georgia and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

but assumed to be extirpated in those states. It grows in wet pine savannas and moist meadows and roadsides.

Taxonomy

''Spiranthes brevilabris'' was first described by

John Lindley John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

in 1840.

References

brevilabris Orchids of the United States {{Orchidoideae-stub