Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata)

Part of the Florida's Native and Naturalized Orchids Website

Classification:
  Kingdom:   Plantae - Plants
    Subkingdom:   Tracheobionta - Vascular Plants
      Superdivision:   Spermatophyta - Seed plants
        Division:   Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
          Class:   Liliopsida - Monocotyledons
            Subclass:   Liliidae - Subclass containing lily and orchid relatives
              Order:   Orchidales - Orchid order
                Family:   Orchidaceae - Orchid Family
                  Subfamily:   Spiranthoideae - Spiranthoids
                    Tribe:   Cranichideae - Cranichids
                      Subtribe:   Spiranthinae - Spiranthines

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Distribution Map:

Description: Synonyms: Limodorum lanceolatum Aubl., Hist. Pl. Guiane 2: 821 (1775). Neottia lanceolata (Aubl.) Willd., Sp. Pl. 4: 73 (1805). Stenorrhynchos lanceolatum (Aubl.) Rich., De Orchid. Eur.: 37 (1817). Gyrostachys lanceolata (Aubl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 664 (1891). Spiranthes lanceolata (Aubl.) León, Contr. Ocas. Mus. Hist. Nat. Colegio 'De Le Salle' 8: 358 (1946). Sacoila paludicola (Luer) P.M.Br., N. Amer. Native Orchid J. 14: 187 (2008). Summary: Large terrestrial orchids. Leaves form a basal rosette throughout the late spring, summer, and autumn, with thick leaves up to 12 inches (30.5 cm). Leaves fade with the first frost. Flower spikes emerge in early spring to open in summer. Flower spikes to two feet (0.6 meters) tall with flower heads up to six inches (15 cm) tall with one inch (2.5 cm) long, tubular flowers typically a coral-red color (occasionally green or yellow). Common Name: Scarlet Ladies' Tresses Habitat: Moist roadsides; open, wet situations. Flowering season: March through June (peaking in May)

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Images:
 

Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata) - four flower spikes.	Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata) - single inflorescence.	Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata) - closeup.
Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata) - plants on a roadside.	Scarlet Ladies' Tresses (Sacoila lanceolata) - single inflorescence with natural background.

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Description:
 

This is one of our most conspicuous species of orchids, made all the more so because it favors open, wet situations which are common roadside conditions in Florida.

In spring and early summer, this species bears spectacular racemes of one-inch, tubular flowers which are typically a coral-red color (although albescent forms are known). In the typical variety (var. lanceolata), the leaves are absent at flowering. In var. paludicola, found in both Sarasota and the Big Cypress Swamp area in Collier County, the leaves are present. The leaves themselves can be rather large, forming basal rosettes up to 2 feet (0.6 m) in diameter.

One of the best places to see this species in bloom is along the Florida Turnpike between Orlando and Yeehaw Junction in early-mid May.

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