Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis, or Southern Slender Ladies Tresses, is a herbaceous, perennial, wildflower in the orchid family. The plant is native to Eastern North America, but has a widespread range and is found in a variety of open habitats, both natural and disturbed. It produces a spiral of white flowers in the summer and into the fall. Spiranthes lacera var. gracillis is one of two varieties. S. lacera var. gracillis , or Southern Slender Ladies Tresses, has dense flowers arranged in a spiral and blooming later in the season. This plant is hairless and leaves are absent at flowering. The other variety, S. lacera var. lacera , or Northern Slender Ladies Tresses has a looser spiral arrangement of flowers, blooms earlier, is hairy, and the leaves are present at flowering. Southern Slender Ladies' Tresses produces 2-4 basal leaves which usually wither before or at the time of flowering in the summer or fall. It bears an inflorescence of up to 40 small white flowers arranged in a tight spiral. It can be distinguished from other species of Spiranthes by the distinctive green spot on its labellum and the edges are somewhat crenulate and rolled inward. It can be found in moist to dry meadows, fields, prairies, open woods, and disturbed areas such as along roadsides and in lawns. This orchid is pollinated by a variety of long tongued bees. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: There are no known problems with this plant.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.