Spiranthes romanzoffiana

SIMILAR SPECIES: All members of the genus Spiranthes in Ohio are similar and are distinguished by floral characters. Spiranthes romanzoffiana can be distinguished somewhat by its fiddle-shaped lip and by the 3 sepals and 2 petals that unite to form a hood that protrudes farther than the lip.

TOTAL RANGE: Lab. to AK, s. to Nfld., N.S., N.E. and w. to NY, PA, OH, MI, WI, IA, SD, CO, UT, and CA.

STATE RANGE: A 1960 record exists from Stark County. Pre-1960 records are known from Ashtabula, Erie, Geauga, Lake, Medina, and Portage counties.

STATE STATUS: 1980-1995: Endangered, 1996 to present: Potentially Threatened.

HABITAT: Usually calcareous soils in alkaline fens, rich open woods, and wet sands.

HAZARDS: Trampling and compaction of soil; alteration of the water supply.

RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Probably poor due to its rather specialized habitat and its necessity of associated mycorrhizal fungi.

INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect mature flowering material; avoid over-collecting.

COMMENTS: Because ladies'-tresses are difficult to distinguish, this species may be more frequent in northeastern Ohio than the records indicate. It should be sought in suitable habitats throughout its range.

SELECTED REFERENCES:

Case, F.W., Jr. and P.M. Catling. 1983. The genus Spiranthes in Michigan. Mich. Bot. 22: 79-92.

Homoya, M.A. 1993. Orchids of Indiana. Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington. 275 pp.

Luer, C.A. 1975. The native orchids of the United States and Canada excluding Florida. New York Botanical Garden, New York, NY. 361 p.

Sheviak, C.J. 1974. An introduction to the ecology of the Illinois Orchidaceae. Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL. 90 p.

Voss, E.G. 1972. Michigan flora, Part I, Gymnosperms and monocots. Cranbrook Inst. of Sci. Bull. 55, Bloomfield Hills, MI. 488 p.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

Created: 11/1983 Barbara K. Andreas

Database Code: SPGY.K65