keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

790 ORCHIDACEAE/TIPULARIA
inflorescence with flowers in a tight spiral, multi-ranked; perianth creamy green to green, 10–
16.5 mm long; lip creamy green to green with darker green veining, 5–10(–14) mm long. Roadside
banks, forest margins, shady old fields, and oak-pine woodlands, typically in shaded habitats,
usually in drier soils than S. praecox; Jasper (Lundell & Lundell 10554, AMES) and Sabine
(Correll et al. 22233, AMES) cos. (Brown 2001); since this species was added after map pages for
the flora were completed, no county distribution map is provided; se U.S. from VA s to FL w to
AR and TX. Apr–Jun. This species is similar to and has long been confused with S. praceox. It
differs in its creamy-green to green, larger flowers and woodland habitat (Brown 2001). Further
research is needed on these taxa. Spiranthes sylvatica is one of the most recently described species
in the flora of East TX. While not officially designated as such (e.g., TOES 1993; Carr 2002d;
Poole et al. 2002), given its limited distribution in the state, we consider this species to be of conservation
concern in TX. � m/302
Spiranthes tuberosa Raf., (tuberous), LITTLE LADIES’-TRESSES, GRAY’S LADIES’-TRESSES, LITTLE
PEARL-TWIST, WHITE SPIRAL ORCHID, BECK’S LADIES’-TRESSES. Plant glabrous, 5–30 cm tall; root 1(–
2), tuberous; leaves 2–3(–5), usually not present at flowering time, all basal, ovate, 2.5–5(–6.5) cm
long, 6–15(–20) mm wide; inflorescence with flowers single-ranked, usually in a � loose spiral;
perianth white, gaping from near the middle, small, 2.5–3(–5) mm long; lip snow white, 2.5–3(–5)
mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, the apex crisped, barely erose. Open, dry, sandy woods, openings,
savannahs; primarily Pineywoods and Post Oak Savannah; also n Gulf Prairies and Marshes; e
U.S. from NY s to FL w to KS and TX. Jun–Sep. [S. grayi Ames, S. tuberosa var. grayi (Ames)
Fernald] This species has the smallest flowers of all North American Spiranthes (Liggio &
Liggio 1999). It is similar to S. lacera var. gracilis except that species has the lip white marked
with a broad green or yellow-green stripe or spot in center, blooms Sep–Nov, and is larger in size.
The tuberous root of S. tuberosa is distinctive. According to Sheviak and Brown (2002), “This
species is easily recognized by its pure white flowers, broad crisped lip, and fugacious [= soon
withering] leaves.” m/302
Spiranthes vernalis Engelm. & A. Gray, (of spring), SPRING LADIES’-TRESSES, TWISTED LADIES’-
TRESSES, UPLAND LADIES’-TRESSES, SPRING TRESSES. Plant 10–60(–65) cm tall; leaves 4–5, persisting
through flowering time, linear-lanceolate, 5–25 cm long, to ca. 1 cm wide; spike about 1.6 cm
thick, with up to 50 flowers in a single rank that is usually rather tightly coiled (but can be
loose to nearly 1-sided), the rachis and ovaries with reddish or whitish pointed hairs (use hand
lens); perianth 6–10 mm long, usually white; lip with yellow or greenish yellow center, fleshy,
recurved, apically crenulate, with stout, short, cone-shaped basal tuberosities; 2n = 30 (Sheviak
& Brown 2002). Sandy woods and prairies, roadsides, pastures, wetland pine savannahs, moist
areas; widespread and common in e 1/3 of TX; also outliers in the Cross Timbers and Prairies
(Cooke Co.), the Edwards Plateau (Mason Co.), and the Rolling Plains (Hemphill Co.) (Liggio &
Liggio 1999); widespread in the e U.S. w to NE and TX. Late Apr–Jul. [S. reverchonii (Small) Cory]
Liggio and Liggio (1999) commented that, “The spring ladies tresses is undoubtedly the most
common orchid in Texas.” Sheviak and Brown (2002) noted that this is a variable species and
that the “most consistent diagnostic character is the presence in inflorescences of copious articulate,
pointed trichomes that readily distinguish S. vernalis from similar species.” Hybrids
are known between this species and both S. lacera var. gracilis (Sheviak & Catling 2002) and S.
praecox (Brown 2000b). m/302
TIPULARIA Nutt. CRANE-FLY
AA genus of 3 similar species of woodlands of e North America and Asia (Catling & Sheviak
2002). The genus is thought to have been more widespread in the past, based on its three widely
separated species: T. josephi Rchb. f. ex Lindl. in the Himalayan Mts., T. japonica Matsum. in Japan,
and T. discolor in the e U.S. (Luer 1975). Some authors (e.g., Wen 1999) consider this genus