Orchid Power - Navasota ladies'-tresses
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Navasota ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes parksii) was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in May 1982, and listed as endangered by the State of Texas soon afterwards. At the time of listing, only two populations were known, both in Brazos County.
This member of the orchid family is an erect, slender-stemmed perennial herb, 8-15 inches tall. The roots are clusters of fleshy tubers. Leaves are linear and found primarily at ground level, butare usually gone by flowering time. Flowers are creamy white and arranged in a loose spiral upthe stem. Conspicuously white-tipped bracts occur underneath each 1/4 inch-long flower. Flowerpetals are round or oval. The side petals have a green central stripe, and the lip (bottom petal) isdistinctly ragged.
Navasota ladies’-tresses occurs primarily in seasonally moist soils along open wooded margins of creeks and drainages of the Brazos, Navasota, and Neches Rivers. It grows in association with vegetation such as post oak, blackjack oak, yaupon, American beautyberry, and littlebluestem. Largest populations occur in the upper reaches of drainages in areas of natural erosion. These areas are generally open or sparsely wooded.
Navasota ladies’-tresses is thought to require small-scale, patchy natural disturbances that provide canopy openings necessary to maintain habitat. Populations of this plant are often associated with claypan soils having fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand topsoils, and which are moderately to strongly acidic and well drained. However, plants have been found on a variety of soil types. Like other orchids, Navasota ladies’-tressesare often found in areas that, due to subsurface hydrology or topography, are slightly wetter than surrounding areas of the landscape, although surface moisture may not be obvious.
Navasota ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes parksii) was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in May 1982, and listed as endangered by the State of Texas soon afterwards. At the time of listing, only two populations were known, both in Brazos County.
This member of the orchid family is an erect, slender-stemmed perennial herb, 8-15 inches tall. The roots are clusters of fleshy tubers. Leaves are linear and found primarily at ground level, butare usually gone by flowering time. Flowers are creamy white and arranged in a loose spiral upthe stem. Conspicuously white-tipped bracts occur underneath each 1/4 inch-long flower. Flowerpetals are round or oval. The side petals have a green central stripe, and the lip (bottom petal) isdistinctly ragged.
Navasota ladies’-tresses occurs primarily in seasonally moist soils along open wooded margins of creeks and drainages of the Brazos, Navasota, and Neches Rivers. It grows in association with vegetation such as post oak, blackjack oak, yaupon, American beautyberry, and littlebluestem. Largest populations occur in the upper reaches of drainages in areas of natural erosion. These areas are generally open or sparsely wooded.
Navasota ladies’-tresses is thought to require small-scale, patchy natural disturbances that provide canopy openings necessary to maintain habitat. Populations of this plant are often associated with claypan soils having fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand topsoils, and which are moderately to strongly acidic and well drained. However, plants have been found on a variety of soil types. Like other orchids, Navasota ladies’-tressesare often found in areas that, due to subsurface hydrology or topography, are slightly wetter than surrounding areas of the landscape, although surface moisture may not be obvious.
posted by Ralph Brownly @ 12:33 PM
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