Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Spiranthes cernua
Nodding ladies-tresses
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes

Shoots: alternate, basal leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped, linear, hastate leaf shape

Inflorescence: raceme

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete, irregular; white; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: capsule

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative, apomictic

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: There are two distinct ecotypes: one is an old field and dry open woodland type, a distinct calciphobe; other is more variable and harder to characterize old field ecotype occurs mainly in southern half of state, also on bluff crowns and ravine rims, prairie borders; other ecotype occurs in calcerous areas in sand prairies, bogs, and fens, also borrow pits

ILPIN Notes: Sand prairie ecotype responds dramatically to fire Flowers slightly fragrant to odorless in contrast to the very similar S. magnicamporum Produces peloric (radial-symmetrical) cleistogamous flowers especially in sand deposits

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: insect, bee
  • Dispersal: wind
  • Mycorrhizae: endomycorrhizal, obligate
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 4
  • Chicago Area: 7

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