Flora of the Southeastern United States

Spiranthes sylvatica P.M. Brown. Common name: Woodland Ladies'-tresses, Pale Green Ladies'-tresses. Phenology: Late Mar-Jun. Habitat: Pine-oak forests and woodlands, dry oak-hickory forests, live oak hammocks, interdune swales, rich dry forests, other woodlands. Distribution: VA south to c. peninsular FL, west to e. TX.

ID notes: Compared to Spiranthes praecox, Spiranthes sylvatica has a laxer spiral (as few as 3-4 flowers per turn), much longer lip (recurved), relatively spreading sepals (oriented downward), larger flowers, with greenish veins on sepals and both lips, and the flowers overall with a more yellowish-green color (vs. bright white).

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Synonymy ⓘ: = ETx1, K4, NSProv, POWO, Va, WH3, Brown (2002); < Ibidium praecox (Walter) House — S, S13; < Spiranthes praecox (Walter) S.Watson — C, F, FNA26, G, GW1, RAB, Correll (1950), Luer (1975). Basionym: Spiranthes sylvatica P.M.Br. 2001

Links to other floras: < Spiranthes praecox - FNA26

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 9