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Spiranthes arcisepala

M.C. Pace

Appalachian Ladies' Tresses

G5Secure Found in 14 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1014176
Element CodePMORC2B230
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusProvisional
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusSpiranthes
Concept Reference
Pace, M.C. and K.M. Cameron. 2017. The systematics of the Spiranthes cernua species complex (Orchidaceae): untangling the Gordian knot. Systematic Botany 42(4): 1-30.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-03-21
Change Date2024-03-21
Edition Date2024-03-21
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Spiranthes arcisepala is a wide-ranging perennial herb occurring across eastern North America from Nova Scotia west to Quebec in Canada, south to North Carolina, mainly in the Appalachians, and west to Michigan and Indiana in the United States. With a large range extent, over 5000 occurrences, abundant habitat, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Spiranthes arcisepala occurs in eastern North America from Nova Scotia west to Quebec in Canada, south to North Carolina, mainly in the Appalachians, and west to southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2023). Range extent was estimated to be 1.3 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are 567 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Spiranthes arcisepala is potentially threatened by development, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species's broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

"Spiranthes arcisepala is typically found in wet, short-statured graminoid-cyperoid habitats including fens, bogs, mossy (often Sphagnum) and lichen-covered seeps, and wet roadsides" (Pace and Cameron 2017).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
Bog/fen
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNU
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS2Yes
Nova ScotiaSUYes
QuebecSNRYes
Prince Edward IslandS2Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New YorkSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
North CarolinaS2Yes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
VermontSUYes
MaineSNRYes
IndianaS2Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (14)
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
West Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
References (5)
  1. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  2. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  3. Pace, M.C. and K.M. Cameron. 2017. The systematics of the <i>Spiranthes cernua </i>species complex (Orchidaceae): untangling the Gordian knot. Systematic Botany 42(4): 1-30.
  4. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  5. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.