Spiranthes odorata

(Nuttall) Lindley

Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 467. 1840.

IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Neottia odorata Nuttall J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 98. 1834
Synonyms: Spiranthes cernua var. odorata (Nuttall) Correll
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 539. Mentioned on page 534, 535, 538, 540, 541.

Plants 10–100+ cm. Roots several, horizontally spreading, slender, mostly to 0.3 cm diam. Leaves persisting through anthesis, basal, gradually or occasionally abruptly reduced upward on stem, base of blade sheathing stem or narrowed to broad petiole over 7 mm wide, ascending to spreading (rigidly so because of aerenchymatous thickening of blade); blades on proximal cauline sheaths spreading-recurved, frequently also on distal (then extending to inflorescence), elliptic to oblong or linear-oblanceolate, to 52 × 4 cm. Spikes tightly spiraled, 3–4 flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis moderately pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked. Flowers nodding, white, urceolate to gaping, claw of lip at low (less than 30°) angle to lamina, base appearing only slightly inflated; sepals distinct to base, 4–18 mm; lateral sepals loosely associated with dorsal and petals or spreading, sometimes arching above flower; petals lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 4–18 mm, apex acute to obtuse or emarginate; lip often yellow or green centrally, rhombic-ovate to ovate or lanceovate, 4–16 × (4–) 7–9.5 mm, fleshy, margins lacerate-crenulate, glabrous; veins several, branches parallel; basal calli incurved, prominent, sometimes conic in small flowers, 0.2–2.5 mm; viscidia linear to linearlanceolate; ovary 4–8 mm. Seeds monoembryonic. 2n = 30.


Phenology: Flowering Sep–Dec.
Habitat: Cypress and hardwood swamps, marshes, prairies, riverbanks, ditches
Elevation: 0–300 m

Distribution

V26 1099-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Md., Miss., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Discussion

Spiranthes odorata typically occurs in seasonally inundated sites and may bloom while emerging from shallow water. The rather thick, broad leaves are aerenchymatous and give the plant a distinctive vegetative habit. The very long, wide-spreading roots produce vegetative offshoots often 30 cm from the parent shoot, giving rise to extensive clonal colonies. At its extreme southern range limit in Florida, individual plants may bloom sporadically throughout much of the year.

The northern range limit of the species along the Atlantic Coast is uncertain; see notes on gene flow and apomixis under 14. Spiranthes cernua.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"wide" is not a number. "broad" is not a number.

... more about "Spiranthes odorata"
self-pollination +
acute +  and obtuse or emarginate +
Charles J. Sheviak +  and Paul Martin Brown +
(Nuttall) Lindley +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
inflated +
Neottia odorata +
indehiscent +
not +  and articulate +
conduplicate +  and plicate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (52 cm520 mm <br />0.52 m <br />) +
elliptic +  and oblong or linear-oblanceolate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
cylindric +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, Okla. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +  and Va. +
0–300 m +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
urceolate +
Cypress and hardwood swamps, marshes, prairies, riverbanks, ditches +
lateral +  and terminal +
arching +  and spreading +
petiolate +, sessile +  and simple +
duplicate +, convolute +, whorled +, opposite +, distichous +  and alternate +
persisting +
cauline +  and basal +
reduced +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
green +  and yellow +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
rhombic-ovate +  and ovate or lanceovate +
larger +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (0.95 cm9.5 mm <br />0.0095 m <br />) +
lacerate-crenulate +
differing in form and color +
cylindric +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
1-many-flowered +  and cymose +
pendent +  and erect +
lanceolate;elliptic-lanceolate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +  and 1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (?) +
ascending +  and spreading +
Flowering Sep–Dec. +
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
aerial +  and subterranean +
slender +
monoembryonic +
minute +
distinct +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
foliaceous +
not +  and alike +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
branched +, or +  and simple +
pendent +  and erect +
proliferous +
narrowed +
thickened +  and stout +
concave +  and convex +
Spiranthes cernua var. odorata +
Spiranthes odorata +
Spiranthes +
species +
aquatic +, lithophytic +, terrestrial +  and epiphytic +
saprophytic +, photosynthetic +  and mycotrophic +