Nodding Ladies Tresses are Blooming
Nodding ladies tresses, which are now blooming in most open areas, are the most prevalent of Pennsylvania's native orchids.
Nodding ladies-tresses belongs to the cosmopolitan orchid family (Orchidaceae), which is the largest in the world with 500 genera and about 20,000 species. Orchids depend on soil fungi for part of their food and some species are entirely devoid of chlorophyll. Some tropical species live underground for a considerable period of time before aboveground stems and leaves are produced. The generic name Spiranthes derives its name from the Greek speira, "a coil" and anthos, "flower," concerning the twisted spike. The specific epithet cernua means "nodding" as applied to the flowers.
Nodding ladies-tresses was first described for science in 1753 by the great Swedish naturalist and father of modern botany, Carl von Linne (Linnaeus).
Today's photo is by Jim Stasz, M.D.
Reference material: U.S. Department of the Interior
E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend!
Rediscover western Pennsylvania every morning with WPC Daily.
Become a Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Member
The votes are in: (and so is September's Screen Wallpaper Calendar) View the winning WPC Daily
Review and vote for the best of August