Spiranthes Explained

Spiranthes is a genus of orchids in the subfamily Orchidoideae. They are known commonly as ladies tresses, ladies'-tresses, or lady's tresses.[1] The genus is distributed in the Americas, Eurasia, and Australia.[2] The genus name Spiranthes is derived from the Greek speira ("coil") and anthos ("flower"), and was inspired by the spirally arranged inflorescence.[2]

Description

These are perennial herbs growing from fleshy root systems that range from slender to tuberous, and are occasionally stoloniferous. Most of the leaves are basal, but some species have leaves higher on the stem before the inflorescence matures, often taking the form of a sheath around the stem. The inflorescence is a terminal spike with flowers arranged in a characteristic loose or dense spiral. As in most other orchids, the flowers are resupinate, twisting during development into an upside-down position. The six tepals may be separate, or the three upper may be joined to form a hood over the lip petal. The lip is thin to somewhat fleshy, and two basal glands produce nectar. The flowers are usually white, cream, ivory, or yellowish, and two species have pink flowers; a few are also fragrant.[2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Spiranthes was first formally described in 1817 by Louis Claude Richard in his book De Orchideis Europaeis Annotationes.[4] The genus's name is derived from ancient Greek words meaning "a coil" and "a flower".[5]

Since its original description, the genus has undergone many taxonomic changes. Spiranthes once contained all the species from the subtribe Spiranthinae. In 1920, Spiranthes was split into 24 genera.[6] Revisions in 1951[7] and 1958[8] placed more species into the genus. During the 1990s it was divided again.[9]

Spiranthes has recently received increased attention from taxonomists and systematists, leading to new species discovery and the resolution of many long-term taxonomic questions.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

It is difficult to clearly define some of the species of this taxon because some of them are polymorphic, taking a number of different forms,[16] with some species belonging to species complexes involving several closely related and morphologically similar species (e.g., the S. cernua species complex;[17] S. parksii, a member of the S. cernua complex and probably a descendant of S. cernua. It has been suggested that this species is just another rare form).[18]

Species list

The following is a list of species accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at March 2023:

More recently discovered species:

Ecology

Pollination

Spiranthes are primarily pollinated by bumblebees, however other bee genera also pollinate various species, including halictid bees, and honey bees (particularly in Europe and Asia).[19] [20] [21]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=43443 Spiranthes.
  2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=131021 Spiranthes.
  3. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=10976 Spiranthes.
  4. Book: Richard . Louis Claude . De Orchideis Europaeis Annotationes . 1817 . Paris . 31 Mar 2023.
  5. Book: Francis Aubie Sharr . Francis Aubie Sharr . Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, Western Australia . 9780958034180 . 115.
  6. Schlechter, R. (1920). Versuch einer systematischen Neuordnung der Spiranthinae. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 37 317–454. (in German)
  7. Williams, L. O. The Orchidaceae of Mexico - 4 Volumes. Ceiba Tegucigalpa. 1951.
  8. Schweinfurth, C. Orchids of Peru. Fieldiana Bot. 30 1–260. 1958.
  9. Szlachetko, D. L. (1996). Studies on Spirantheae Orchidaceae: I. Varia. Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica 41(2), 845-63.
  10. Dueck. L. A.. Aygoren. D.. Cameron. K. M.. 2014-09-01. A molecular framework for understanding the phylogeny of Spiranthes (Orchidaceae), a cosmopolitan genus with a North American center of diversity. American Journal of Botany. en. 101. 9. 1551–1571. 10.3732/ajb.1400225. 25253714. 0002-9122. free.
  11. Reinstatement, Redescription, and Emending of Spiranthes triloba (Orchidaceae): Solving a 118 year old cryptic puzzle. Pace. Matthew C.. Cameron. Kenneth M.. December 2016. Systematic Botany. 41. 4. 924–939. en. 10.1600/036364416x694026. 90359676.
  12. Pace. Matthew C.. Cameron. Kenneth M.. 2019. The evolutionary and systematic significance of hybridization between taxa of Spiranthes (Orchidaceae) in the California Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range. Taxon. en. 68. 2. 199–217. 10.1002/tax.12034. 190872991 . 1996-8175.
  13. Pace. Matthew C.. Giraldo. Giovanny. Frericks. Jonathan. Lehnebach. Carlos A.. Cameron. Kenneth M.. 2019-01-01. Illuminating the systematics of the Spiranthes sinensis species complex (Orchidaceae): ecological speciation with little morphological differentiation. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. en. 189. 1. 36–62. 10.1093/botlinnean/boy072. 0024-4074.
  14. Pace. Matthew C.. 2021-04-30. Spiranthes bightensis (Orchidaceae), a New and Rare Cryptic Hybrid Species Endemic to the U. S. Mid-Atlantic Coast. Phytotaxa. 498. 3. 159–176. 10.11646/phytotaxa.498.3.2. 1179-3163. free.
  15. The Systematics of the Spiranthes cernua Species Complex (Orchidaceae): Untangling the Gordian Knot. Pace. Matthew C.. Cameron. Kenneth M.. 2017. Systematic Botany. 42. 4. 640–669. en. 10.1600/036364417x696537. 90432295.
  16. Dueck, L. A. and K. M. Cameron, K. M. (2007). Sequencing re-defines Spiranthes relationships, with implications for rare and endangered taxa. Lankesteriana 7(1-2), 190-95.
  17. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101948 Spiranthes cernua.
  18. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101962 Spiranthes parksii.
  19. Catling. Paul M.. 1982-12-01. Breeding systems of northeastern North American Spiranthes (Orchidaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany. 60. 12. 3017–3039. 10.1139/b82-358. 0008-4026.
  20. Tao. Zhi-Bin. Ren. Zong-Xin. Bernhardt. Peter. Liang. Huan. Li. Hai-Dong. Zhao. Yan-Hui. Wang. Hong. Li. De-Zhu. 2018. Does reproductive isolation reflect the segregation of color forms in Spiranthes sinensis (Pers.) Ames complex (Orchidaceae) in the Chinese Himalayas?. Ecology and Evolution. en. 8. 11. 5455–5469. 10.1002/ece3.4067. 2045-7758. 6010815. 29938065. 2018EcoEv...8.5455T .
  21. Catling. Paul M.. 1983-04-01. Pollination of northeastern North American Spiranthes (Orchidaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany. 61. 4. 1080–1093. 10.1139/b83-116. 0008-4026.

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