Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Asparagales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Spiranthes longilabris
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more about Spiranthes from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Check out Jim Fowler's blog describing an October trip to NC's Green Swamp with Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus, Slender Rattlesnake-root, Long-lipped Ladies’-tresses orchid, and Pine Barren Gentian in glorious bloom.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Spiranthes longilabris
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Spiranthes longilabris
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26 (2002)
Spiranthes longilabris
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-12-005:
Spiranthes longilabris FAMILY Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ibidium longilabre
COMMON NAME:
Longhorn Ladies'-tresses, Giant Spiral Orchid, Giant Spiral Ladies'-tresses, Long-lipped Ladies'-tresses
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Jim Fowler jafslongilabris_4
October Brunswick County NC
Green Swamp
These flowers are arranged in a tight single rank or are sometimes secund, per Wild Orchids of South Carolina: A Popular Natural History (Fowler, 2005).
)
Keith Bradley kab_s_longilabris_5088
December Lee County FL
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Spiranthes longilabris
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Spiranthes longilabris
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Spiranthes longilabris
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26
Spiranthes longilabris
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-12-005:
Spiranthes longilabris
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ibidium longilabre
2153
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Wet pine savannas, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal (when present)
FLOWER:
Fall
White
Bilaterally symmetrical
3 sepals, two lateral and one dorsal
3 petals, the two lateral similar and a third (the lip) enlarged
stamens and pistil fused together into a column
Inferior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p377
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p178
- Wild Orchids of South Carolina: A Popular Natural History (Fowler, 2005) p188
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".