Spiranthes casei

Plants 7-44 cm. Roots few-several, descending, slender to somewhat tuberously thickened, mostly to 0.5 cm diam. Leaves persisting through anthesis, basal and on proximal portion of stem, ascending to spreading, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, to 20 × 2 cm. Spikes loosely spiraled, usually 5 or more flowers per cycle of spiral; rachis moderately to densely pubescent, some trichomes capitate, glands obviously stalked. Flowers ivory to yellowish white or greenish cream, strongly nodding, curved downward throughout lengths, scarcely gaping, urceolate-tubular; sepals distinct to base, 5.2-8 mm; lateral sepals slightly spreading, apex straight; petals creamy white to greenish white, ovate-elliptic to obovate, 3.9-7.6 mm, apex obtuse; lip often darker centrally, 4.1-8 × 3.2-5.1 mm, glabrous; veins several, branches parallel; basal calli incurved, prominent, 0.7-1.1 mm; viscidia linear to linear-lanceolate; ovary 4-7 mm. Seeds partly or wholly polyembryonic.

Plants 2-4 dm; basal lvs lanceolate or lance-ovate to broadly lance- oblong, 5-15 cm נ8-15 mm; cauline sheaths (2)3 or 4, the lower with short blade; infl 2-16 cm, loosely to fairly densely fld; fls ochroleucous or greenish-yellow, more greenish basally, 5-7.5 mm, stocky, the sep 2-3.7 mm wide, the pet 1.7-2.8 mm wide; lip fleshy, obovate or elliptic-ovate, papillate below, the basal callosities ca 1 mm, higher than wide; 2n=60, 75. Sandy, acid soil, often with Polytrichum; N.S.; Me. to n. Pa., w. to Mich. and Wis. Aug., Sept.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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