¤ var. gracilis can be identified by the distinctive green or yellowish-green spot on the center of the labellum (lower modified petal). Southern slender ladies’-tresses Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis Family: Genus: Spiranthes : lacera var. gracilis Average Height: 4-12 inches Bloom Time: August—September Elevation Range: All elevations of the Piedmont. Geologic/Soil Associations: Known from a full spectrum of rich and nutrient-poor substrates Soil Drainage Class and Moisture Regime: Well-drained to poorly-drained; Xeric to wet-mesic Light and Aspect: Part-to-full sun. East, south, and west preferred. Habitat Associations: Dry and wet Piedmont Prairies, Savannas, Piedmont Hardpan Forests, Basic/Mafic Woodlands, old fields, clearings, roadsides, un-mown lawns. Frequent throughout Virginia. half-black (Bombus vagans) x 1 Flora Associations: Occurs with typical Piedmont Prairie and Savanna species, including Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Symphyotrichum spp. (aster), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Lespedeza spp. (bush-clover), and Dichanthelium spp. (panic grasses). At The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler, Virginia, Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis has been observed growing in stable soil pockets on a steep west-facing talus of quarried soapstone discards. Here, Agrimonia rostellata (woodland agrimony) and Symphyotrichum undulatum (wavy-leaved aster) grow nearby under a low and widely spaced canopy of Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar). It grows trailside near the visitor’s center along with Danthonia spicata (poverty oat grass), Chamaecrista nictitans (wild sensitive ), and Dichanthelium linearifolium (slim-leaf panic grass). Fauna Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by long- tongued bees, including Anthidiellum notatum (northern rotund-resin bee), Bombus terricola (yellow-banded bumblebee, once common, now in steep decline), Bombus vagans (half-black bumblebee), Calliopsis andreniformis (yellow-legged bee), Lasioglossum imitatum (bristle sweat bee), and Megachile brevis (common little leaf-cutter bee). Occasionally they are also visited by butterflies and skippers, although these visitors are not effective Spiranthes pollinators. The foliage of southern slender ladies’-tresses is consumed by native snails (such as the gray-foot lancetooth, Haplotrema concavum) and slugs, especially during the early summer when the weather is wet. Also enjoying this orchid’s foliage is Stethobaris ovata (orchid weevil), and mammalian herbivores such as white-tailed deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. Notes: The Ojibwa used the roots of slender ladies’-tresses as an ingredient in a charm to bring luck to their hunters. Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis is widespread, whereas its close relative, Spiranthes lacera var. lacera, has also only been confirmed in two Counties in VA (Floyd and Patrick counties). Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis can take on a wide variety of appearances, from tight and short spirals, to tall and out-stretched spirals. The number of flowers per spiral revolution varies from plant to plant.

¤ There are two subspecies of Spiranthes lacera in Virginia. Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis and Spiranthes lacera var. lacera. Spiranthes lacera Fowler’s toad var. gracilis has leaves that wither at flowering, a dense , (Anaxyrus fowleri) x 1

yellow-banded bumblebee (Bombus terricola) x 1 and its inflorescence is entirely hairless. Spiranthes lacera var. lacera ¤ Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis, which displays a single spiral of flowers, is easy to distinguish from (nodding ladies’ tresses). The latter boasts double intertwined spirals and is primarily found in wet acidic habitats. has leaves which persist during flowering, a loose inflorescence, and small hairs covering the inflorescence.

gray-foot lancetooth snail (Haplotrema concavum) x 1 Center for Urban Habitats © Gray and Floyd 2019, “Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis” flyer sponsored by Khabira and Carl Wise