Lady's-tresses
What are they?
The lady's-tresses are intriguing little orchids with tiny white flowers that are typically arranged up the stem in the style of the treads on a spiral staircase. The flowers have no spurs and are covered in glandular hairs. This group has its greatest species diversity in North America and is represented in Europe by just five species, with just three in Britain.
Where are they found?
The true status of the two lady's-tresses species in East Anglia may never be known as there appears to have been a number of cases of deliberate introductions in the past, while colonies seem to come and go at various sites without persisting. However, these are rare species in our region with less than 10 sites for each species, some of which are in private gardens.
Identification
Our two species are members of different genera and have a number of features that readily tell them apart, including the venation of the leaves, the style of growth and the finer details of the flowers.
Autumn Lady's-tresses Spiranthes spiralis
Native, typically on neutral or chalky soils. Of uncertain origin in a number of its locations in East Anglia and certainly known to have been deliberately introduced at times. A plant of short grassland, known for turning up on garden lawns and tennis courts from time to time. Flowers August to September. Flowers and flower spike minutely glandular-hairy. Lower lip broadly rounded at the tip. Small rosettes of 4-5 leaves appear with or just after the flower spikes, the leaves having the typical parallel veins of most orchid species.
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Creeping Lady's-tresses Goodyera repens
Typically found on acidic soils and usually under conifers. Of uncertain origin in East Anglia as the main, native range is generally at some distance from our region. However, a persistent colony under conifers in North Norfolk could feasibly have originated from naturally wind-blown seed. Flowers July to August. Flowers and flower spike noticeably glandular-hairy. Lower lip distinctly narrowed toward the tip. Leaves more or less evergreen with a few present for most of the year; venation netted, with pale cross-veins present between the larger, parallel veins. Plants put out creeping rhizomes with new leaf rosettes and flower spikes appearing at the tips.
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