Terrestrial Orchids

[McDonough]

I was at The Garden In The Woods (a display garden and natural woodlands of the New England Wildflower Society, in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA) and one plant I always check out in late summer and early autumn is Spiranthes odorata (marsh lady's tresses).  Not the showiest orchid in the world, but interesting for it's very late flowering, and fragrant blooms (scented like vanilla).  And even though native to southeastern US States, primarily in a band that follows the coast, it is perfectly hardy here.  It seems that the colony is getting overcrowded with larger plants; I'm seeing a number of spots in this garden where maintenance appears to be taking a back seat to other priorities.



USDA Plant Profile page (marsh lady's tresses):
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SPOD

USDA distribution map... if it "touches" a US State, the whole State is shaded:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SPOD

Flora of North America distribution map... much more revealing!
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=8516&flora_id=1

[James McGee]

Mark,

     We have a similar orchid in the Chicago Region.  Some of them have traits of Spiranthes magnicamporum.  Others look exactly like the orchid you posted.  The attached photo is from a colony I found that I thought was Spiranthes casei.  The experts tell me the Spiranthes in the attached photo is Spiranthes cernua.  I've just given up on trying to distinguish Spiranthes cernua, magnicamporum, and casei.  I think at least Spiranthes cernua and Spiranthes magicamporum integrate and can only be distinguished in their most distinctive specimens.
     Irregardless of taxonomic confusion, you can frequently find Spiranthes in open habitats from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast.  The habitat is usually given as wet areas for Spiranthes cernua. However, I find Spiranthes cernua in drier locations.  I think wetland habitats are listed because these were historically the only habitat in the East with a disturbance regime that kept the habitat in full sunlight.  I frequently find large colonies of Spiranthes in dry fields that were previously in agriculture.  I have been told it will grow from sown seed to flowering within three years in appropriate habitat.  Most people I have talked to who have dug them for their gardens eventually lost them.  They are so common I have always wondered why people try cultivation.  If they would only look around I am sure they would find a number of wild populations nearby that they could enjoy.


James

[Lori S.]

Welcome to the forum, James! 

[RickR]

Hello James, thanks for your input on this, and I'd love to see more.  Isn't it funny (not really) how adaptable plants can be.  Minnesota has three major biomes, prairie, deciduous woods and coniferous forest.  It is not uncommon to observe the same species in all three, but with a different accompanying environment.

[Tony Willis]

This is a picture of Spiranthes Autumnalis in SW Turkey and following the remarks on habitat I thought you may be interested in seeing it. It is widespread in Europe in a variety of habitats and this picture is of it flowering in October in a very dry situation in sparse pine woods. At that stage there had been no rain since April and it must be triggered into growth by the area cooling down in autumn. It is about 6 inches tall.

[McDonough]

Welcome onboard James,

I'll be attending training all next week (Sept 26-29, flying back home the 30th, 2011) in St. Charles, Illinois, 34 miles west of O'Hare airport near Chicago. I'll keep my eyes focused on the native vegetation when I'm out running each day after training.  Your interesting post mentions other Spiranthes species names with which I was unfamiliar, so I googled, here are some results:

Spiranthes cernua page at MissouriPlants.com
http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/Spiranthes_cernua_page.html

Article by Barry Glick (the Glickster) of Sunshine Farm and Gardens
Spiranthes cernua odorata 'Chadds Ford' (a cultivar featuring slightly taller stems and larger flowers).  While S. odorata and S. cernua have been distinct species for a long time, one still finds the combination "Spiranthes cernua var. odorata (Nutt.) Correll (1940)"
http://www.sunfarm.com/picks/spiranthescernuaodoratachaddsford-124020.phtml

Spiranthes cernua on the fine Kansas Wildflowers & Grasses site, with links to Spiranthes lacera   var. gracilis and Spiranthes vernalis.
http://www.kswildflower.org/flower_details.php?flowerID=248

Spiranthes in Flora of North America (23 species):
...also see long discussion under the S. cernua entry
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=131021

Snippet from the key in Flora of North America:

14 - Spiranthes cernua
Lip distally acute to rounded, not truncate, usually more than 7.5 mm (in shorter flowers ovary often much shorter than perianth); flowers white to yellowish, arcuate-nodding only at base of perianth.

15 - Spiranthes casei
Lip distally truncate, 5–7.5 mm; flowers yellowish, cream, or ivory, arcuate-nodding for most or all length of perianth.

[McDonough]

This is a picture of Spiranthes Autumnalis in SW Turkey and following the remarks on habitat I thought you may be interested in seeing it. It is widespread in Europe in a variety of habitats and this picture is of it flowering in October in a very dry situation in sparse pine woods. At that stage there had been no rain since April and it must be triggered into growth by the area cooling down in autumn. It is about 6 inches tall.

Fascinating little orchids, the way the flowers spiral up around the stem.  Checking IPNI.ORG, there are over 900 name entries for Spiranthes, so evidently this is a big genus. Interesting to see how such a plant with well produced spire of flowers as S. autumnalis, can do so without moisture in the summer.

[James McGee]

Tony,

     The photo of Spiranthes autumnalis you posted looks a lot like the North American species, Spiranthes lacera.

James

[James McGee]

Mark,

     The population of Spiranthes I found had flowers ranging from 6.5 mm long to 13 mm.  The specimen that our regional expert ended up collecting was on the larger side.  This is why I believe the dried specimen ended up being identified as Spiranthes cernua.  This surprised me considering a consensus had been reached that the plant was Spiranthes casei based on photos I had taken earlier.  These original photos were of the first plant I discovered which had flower that were only 7 mm long.

James

[Tony Willis]

Tony,

     The photo of Spiranthes autumnalis you posted looks a lot like the North American species, Spiranthes lacera.

James

James,nice to see you on the forum. It could be the same thing!( I just saw Mark's post that flora of N. America gives 23 species of spiranthes,have they never heard of natural variation?)

It is not easy to grow and the Turkish ones are certainly tender and yet elsewhere across its range it is quite hardy.

[James McGee]

Tony,

     Although I have not read the paper, I am told genetic studies have been done to distinguish at least some of the species.  However, this does not mean these species cannot produce stable hybrids.

James

[James McGee]

They ought to start similar projects on some orchids too. Several endangered species have more specimens in university herbaria than in the wild.

Hoy,

Here in the States we have a group of dedicated volunteers that are working to conserve the Federally threatened Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, Platanthera leucophaea.  In sites where pollination is not occurring volunteers make sure the job gets done.  Seed is also collected and distributed to new sites.  At least a few new populations have been established.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-08-04/news/9608040040_1_rare-orchids-fringed-presettlement-times

Brush clearing is also occurring in areas where lack of light is impacting the orchid.  Although, this is occurring more broadly to reverse the disappearance of prairie/savannah that has been progressing for decades from the impact of fire suppression.

These efforts to remove invasive woody vegetation may have a farther reaching impact.  Grasslands reflect more solar radiation than forests.  The old oak trees store more carbon than smaller diameter brush.  These efforts could potentially help slow Global Warming.

Here's a story about a similar effort in arctic Russia.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40396941/ns/world_news-world_environment/t/one-scientists-hobby-recreating-ice-age/

James



 

    

[Tony Willis]

Tony,

     Although I have not read the paper, I am told genetic studies have been done to distinguish at least some of the species.  However, this does not mean these species cannot produce stable hybrids.

James

James I leave the naming to others confident in the knowledge that before long somebody will come up with a new system that will prove all others wrong,until the next one......

Interestingly I have Spiranthes sinensis both pink and giant forms and the reference I consulted says these are synonymous with S. spiralis which is synonymous with S. autumnalis and so it goes on.

Mark I never answered your point on them being able to grow to flower without moisture. They, as do most of the Mediterranean orchids, have an underground tuber which sustains growth until the rain arrives and subsequent root grow starts. Many start root growth before any moisture is present. I keep mine dry in the garage during the summer and they have all started to grow at re-potting in September.

Three of mine flowering now quite out of season.

Orchis morio
Ophrys lutes
Orchis anatolica

[McDonough]

Reflecting on the past season and scanning through digital photos, catching up with some belated images.  Cypripedium reginae is a slow but steady grower here, and has finally started to increase well, almost doubling the number of pips in the last two years.  Didn't get a great photo because it was raining on the weekend when the plant was at peak flowering, but this photo will suffice.  It flowers so late compared to C. parviflorum, at peak in late June, thus a great addition to the woodland garden.

[AmyO]

Beautiful c. reginae Mark! I had one a couple years ago that I got at Cady's Falls Nursery here in VT. It flowered survived the following winter, bloomed again even better, then never made it through the next winter! I was so bummed. I'm going to try it again as I'm pretty sure my garden soil should support it with the correct PH and make up.