Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Spiranthes porrifolia
western ladies'-tresses
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho.

Habitat: Moist to swampy areas.

Flowers: July-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)

Description:
General:

Glabrous, herbaceous perennials from enlarged, fleshy roots, the stems 1-6 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves several near the base of the stem, linear to oblong, 8-20 cm. long and 5-10 mm. broad, abruptly transitional upward to short, sheathing, lanceolate bracts.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a dense spike 3-12 cm. long, the flowers cream to greenish-white, aligned in 1-4 spiralling, vertical rows; floral bracts 10-20 mm. long, about equal to the tubular flowers, whitish; sepals viscid-pubescent, the upper one and the petals subequal, fused into a curved, tubular hood 7-12 mm. long; lip sharply reflexed, about as long as the sepals, nearly triangular, not constricted below the tip, the base with prominent protuberances; column bearing the single anther 2-4 mm. long with a slender, forked terminal beak; ovary inferior

Fruits:

Capsule.

Accepted Name:
Spiranthes porrifolia Lindl.
Publication: Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. 467. 1840.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Spiranthes romanzoffiana Cham. var. porrifolia (Lindl.) Ames & Correll [HC]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Spiranthes porrifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Spiranthes porrifolia checklist entry

OregonFlora: Spiranthes porrifolia information

E-Flora BC: Spiranthes porrifolia atlas page

CalPhotos: Spiranthes porrifolia photos

14 photographs:
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