Canadian Native Orchids - Spiranthes casei

Spiranthes casei

Catling and Cruise var. casei Case's Ladies' Tresses

Location Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario.

Specific Habitat
Dry to moderately moist sandy soils, deep to shallow, and sand filled crevices of igneous rock, roadsides and pastures. It is mostly a colonizer of disturbed sites where it develops large colonies until conditions change.
Its primary habitat is the rocks and soils of the Canadian Shield.

Flowering Season Mid August to mid September.

Description
Height to 40 cm. Stem with reddish pubescence on back.
Basal leaves ovate-lanceolate, withering before flowering. Sheath leaves persist until flowering.
Inflorescence up to 15 cm. long, with 3-8 flowers loosely arranged in a single spiraled rank.
Flowers are tubular, cream coloured. Dorsal sepal and petals converge to form a tubular hood over the lip, tips of all three parts pointing outwards. Lip is egg-shaped, with an uneven outer margin, tip down-curved.
Flowers have a strong pungent odour when bruised or collected.

Comments
Only recognized as a separate species in 1974. Orchid is distinguished from S. cernua by its off-white rather than pure white flowers, and arrangement in a single, corkscrew-like spiral.

References
Orchids of Ontario
Orchids of the Northeast
The Canadian Field-Naturalist
The Orchids of Bruce & Grey

Habitat Plant Flower

Location	Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario.
Specific Habitat	Dry to moderately moist sandy soils, deep to shallow, and sand filled crevices of igneous rock, roadsides and pastures. It is mostly a colonizer of disturbed sites where it develops large colonies until conditions change. Its primary habitat is the rocks and soils of the Canadian Shield.
Flowering Season	Mid August to mid September.
Description	Height to 40 cm. Stem with reddish pubescence on back. Basal leaves ovate-lanceolate, withering before flowering. Sheath leaves persist until flowering. Inflorescence up to 15 cm. long, with 3-8 flowers loosely arranged in a single spiraled rank. Flowers are tubular, cream coloured. Dorsal sepal and petals converge to form a tubular hood over the lip, tips of all three parts pointing outwards. Lip is egg-shaped, with an uneven outer margin, tip down-curved. Flowers have a strong pungent odour when bruised or collected.
Comments	Only recognized as a separate species in 1974. Orchid is distinguished from S. cernua by its off-white rather than pure white flowers, and arrangement in a single, corkscrew-like spiral.
References	Orchids of Ontario Orchids of the Northeast The Canadian Field-Naturalist The Orchids of Bruce & Grey