Spiranthes romanzoffiana : Hooded Ladiestresses

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Monocoteldonae (one seed-leaf)

Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)

Genera: Spiranthes (Ladiestresses) (Gk. spiera=coil or spiral + anthos=flower; referring to the spiral arrangement of the flowers.)

Species: romanzoffiana (Named for Russian patron of the sciences Nikolai Rumantzev, Count Romanoff, 1754-1826.)

English Name(s):

Hooded Ladiestresses, Continental Ladies' Tresses

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• From fleashy, thick, tuber-like roots.
• Stems leafy, 8-20cm tall.

Leaves:

• Linear to oblanceolate in shape, 3-10mm wide.
• Leaves several, alternate, mostly basal, reduced upwards, 5-15cm long.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual). Zygomorphic (biliteral symmetry).
• Petals 3 of which the side two are alike but are different from the lower one which is lip like.
• Sepals 3.
• Flowers in 3 rows in a bracted dense, many-flowered, spirally twisting, spike.
• Flowers white to cream coloured, small, very fragrant.
• Lower petal (lip) concave, 5-11mm long, 5mm wide, strongly constricted from the middle to the base, with a deltoid to ovate lobe.
• Sepals separate, 7-10mm long.
• Side petals 6-12mm long, partially united, forming an upward-arching hood.

Seed:

• Fruit a three chambered capsule containing innumerable minute seeds.
• Capsule up to 10mm long.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

• Herbacious.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Deciduous.
• Flowers bloom in July.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Bogs, meadows, muskegs and open woods.

Modern:

Industrial:

• Count Romanzoff for who this species is named was the patron of Kotzebue who expolered Alaska for Russia.
• Some flower lovers feel that the spiral spike bears a resemblance to neatly braided hair; hence the common name Ladiestresses.

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Plants were used for treating venerial disease and, urinary disorders.
• Roots of other Spiranthes species were used as aphrodisiacs.
• Were also put in infant baths to promote general health.

Food: