Spiranthes praecox (Walter) S. Watson 1890
Photos by © Eric Hunt
Photos courtesy of V. J. Gennusa
Drawing by Carl Luer
Common Name The Early Blooming Spiranthes - in USA The Greenvein Ladies' Tresses - The Giant Ladies' Tresses
Flower Size .24 to .5" [.6 to 1.25 cm]
Found in New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas on roadsides, meadows, prairies, open woodlands in partial sun as a small to large sized, cold growing terrestrial with 2 to 7, basal and on the lower half of the stem, linear-lanceolate leaves that are present at blooming which occurs in the spring on an erect, terminal, to 24" [60 cm] long, 10 to 40 flowered inflorescence carrying the fragrant flowers in single to multiple ranks
Synonyms Gyrostachys beckii (Lindl.) B.C.Stone 1911; Ibidium beckii (Lindl.) House 1906; Ibidium praecox (Walter) House 1906; *Limodorum praecox Walter 1788; Spiranthes beckii Lindl. 1840; Spiranthes praecox f. albolabia P.M.Br. & C.L.McCartney 1995; Triorchos beckii (Lindl.) House 1920; Triorchis praecox (Walter) Nieuwl. 1913
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Fl. Carol.: 221 Walter 1788 as Limodorum praecox
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 472 Lindley 1840 as Spiranthes beckii nom. superfl.
*Manual, ed. 6: 503 S Watson 1890
Studies in the Family Orchidaceae Vol 1: 135 Ames 1905
Studies in the Family Orchidaceae Vol 1: 125 Ames 1905 as S beckii;
Muhlenbergia 1: 128 House 1906 as Ibidium beckii nom. superfl.;
Muhlenbergia 1: 129 House 1906 as Ibidium praecox;
Rep. New Jersey State Mus. 1910 375 B C Stone 1911 as Gyrostachys beckii;
Amer. Midl. Naturalist 3: 123 Nieuwl. 1913 as Triorchis praecox
Amer. Midl. Naturalist 6: 206 House 1920 as Triorchos beckii nom. superfl.
The Native Orchids of Florida Luer 1972 drawing/photos fide;
The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada Luer 1975 drawing/photos fide;
Schlechteriana Vol 4 No 4 1993;
Wild Orchids of the Northeastern USA PM Brown 1993 drawing good;
N. Amer. Native Orchid J. 1: 13 P M Br & C L McCartney 1995 as Spiranthes praecox f. albolabia
Wild Orchids of the Southeastern USA North of Penninsular Florida PM Brown 2004 drawing/photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 80 #8 2011 photo fide;
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