[The Orchid Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]
Hooded Ladies' Tresses

Spiranthes romanzoffiana

Synonym: Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. romanzoffiana

Close-up of the inflorescence of Hooded Ladie's Tresses: Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Synonym: Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. romanzoffiana)

Close-up of a portion of the inflorescence of hooded ladies' tresses as seen in a moist roadside ditch at Summit Prairie, Malheur National Forest................August 20, 2011. Note how the lower lip begins narrow and then expands outward with the margin somewhat in-rolled towards the tip.
The photo at right of Spiranthes romanzoffiana from Park Meadows, Deschutes N.F...........July 16, 1992.
Characteristics:

Hooded ladies' tresses is a perennial orchid from 10-60 cm in height. It consists of a single, stout, upright stem. The leaves are usually basal, and consist of several linear to narrowly oblong leaves from 8 to 20 cm long and 5-10 mm wide. The herbage is glabrous.

The spike of flowers is dense, with numerous closely appressed flowers. It measures from 3-15 cm long. The flowers are white or cream or greenish-white, aligned in one to four somewhat spiraling, vertical rows. Individual flowers measure from 6-8 mm long. The hood is mostly 7-12 mm long. The lip is oblong or triangular and about as long as the sepals.

Varieties:

Variety porrifolia: Flowers cream or greenish-white. Lip triangular and generally not at all constricted below its tip.

Variety romanzoffiana: Flowers cream or white-flowered. Lip broader and constricted below is tip.

Habitat:

Hooded ladies' tresses are found in wet meadows at middle to high elevations.

Range:

Hooded ladies' tresses are found from Alaska east to Newfoundland, and south to New York on the east coast. In the Midwest, it may be found as far south as Iowa and Nebraska, and on the west coast, it is found as far south as New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

 

Hooded ladies' tresses: Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Synonym: Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. romanzoffiana)

Hooded ladies' tresses as seen along forest service road #3521 in the Wenatchee National Forest.....................August 13, 2009.

Hooded Ladie's Tresses: Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Synonym: Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. romanzoffiana) - Hooded Ladie's Tresses: Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Synonym: Spiranthes romanzoffiana var. romanzoffiana)

Hooded ladies' tresses as seen in a moist roadside ditch at Summit Prairie, Malheur National Forest................August 20, 2011. This species typically is found at the vernal high water mark along the edges of ditches, streams and pools.

The photo above shows a close-up of the flower of hooded ladies' tresses as seen at Muddy Meadows on the northside of Mt. Adams................August 7, 2005. Note how the lip begins narrow and then expands outward with the margin somewhat in-rolled towards the tip.
Paul Slichter