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Home/Species/ Twisted Ladies'-tresses

Spiranthes vernalis

Engelm. & Gray

Twisted Ladies'-tresses

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153069
Element CodePMORC2B0Z0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusSpiranthes
Other Common Names
Spring Ladies'-tresses (EN) spring ladies'-tresses (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-16
Change Date1984-09-06
Edition Date2024-07-16
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Spiranthes vernalis is a perennial herb occurring in dry to moist meadows, dune hollows, old fields, prairies, roadsides, in cemeteries, and lawns in eastern North America from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and South Dakota in the United States; it is also found in the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America. It is threatened by development, recreation, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and succession. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and over 2,000 occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Spiranthes vernalis occurs in eastern North America in the United States from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and South Dakota (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). It also occurs in the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America. Range extent was estimated to be over 4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, NatureServe Network occurrence data, and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, NatureServe Network occurrence data, and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 2,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Spiranthes vernalis is threatened by development, recreation, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, succession, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Spike conspicuously spiraled in a single rank. Leaves narrow (linear lanceolate). Hairs of pubescence pointed. Lip with a yellowish center.

Habitat

Spiranthes vernalis occurs in "dry to moist meadows, dune hollows, prairies, old fields, roadsides, cemeteries, lawns," pine savannas, bogs, and marshes (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeSavannaGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldSand/duneSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
Bog/fen
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
North CarolinaS3Yes
TexasSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
NebraskaS2Yes
New YorkS1Yes
GeorgiaS4Yes
MassachusettsS2Yes
MichiganSNRYes
IowaS1Yes
South DakotaS2Yes
West VirginiaSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
IllinoisS2Yes
IndianaS3Yes
Rhode IslandS2Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
KansasS4Yes
New JerseyS3Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
DelawareS2Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (5)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Gum BayApalachicola National Forest11,645
SavannahApalachicola National Forest1,927
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
References (17)
  1. Brackley, F. E. 1985. The orchids of New Hampshire. Rhodora 87:1-117.
  2. Correll, D.S. 1950 [1978]. Native orchids of North America north of Mexico. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 400 pp.
  3. Fernald, M.L. 1950 Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th ed. American Book Company, New York. 1632 pp.
  4. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  5. Gleason, H.A. 1952. The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 3 volumes. Hafner Press, New York. 1732 pp.
  6. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  7. Godfrey, R.K., and J.W. Wooten. 1979. Aquatic and wetland plants of southeastern United States: Monocotyledons. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens. 712 pp.
  8. Henry, L.K., W.E. Buker and D.L. Pearth. 1975. Western Pennsylvania Orchids. Castanea 40 (2):93-171.
  9. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  10. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  11. Luer, C.A. 1975. The native orchids of the United States and Canada excluding Florida. New York Botanical Garden. 361 pp.
  12. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  13. Sheviak, C. 1974. An introduction to the ecology of the Illinois Orchidaceae. Illinios State Museum, Springfield, IL. 89p.
  14. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  15. Stuckey, I.H. 1967. Environmental factors and the growth of native orchids. American Journal of Botany 54(2):232-241.
  16. Voss, E.G. 1972. Michigan flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part I. Gymnosperms and monocots. Cranbrook Institute of Science and Univ. Michigan Herbarium. Ann Arbor. 488 pp.
  17. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.