Here in central Florida, spring is already underway. While many of the deciduous trees are still bare, several species of orchids take advantage of this greater amount of light reaching the forest floor to do their business of growing and/or reproduction.
You've already met Wister's Coralroot in a previous post. Here is another of these spring orchids...
Mesadenus lucayanus (formerly known as
Spiranthes polyantha in Luer's work). It's common name is the Copper Ladies' Tresses (a number of members of the genus
Spiranthes and related genera are called "Ladies' Tresses" or "Ladies' Traces" because they alternately reminded folks of the braid of a woman's hair or the laces of a bodice). It bears a basal rosette of light green leaves throughout the summer and right up to when it blooms in early spring. At this point the leaves are fading or already faded, the seedlings seeming to persist a little longer than mature, blooming-sized plants.
This particular species is hard to find when in flower, its slender copper-colored spikes bearing 5mm wide flowers blending in quite well with the leaf litter that blankets the forest floor. Here are some photos taken over the weekend of this diminutive and elusive species:
Many thanks to Paul Martin Brown and Larry Roberts for cluing me into this particular locality for this species.
Enjoy!
---Prem
