title: Spiranthes laciniata
text: # Spiranthes laciniata
  
  Spiranthes laciniata, the lacelip ladies' tresses is a terrestrial orchid endemic to the south eastern United States.
  
  ## Description
  
  Spiranthes laciniata plants are a tall species of Spiranthes reaching a height of 20–95 cm, with up to 5 basal leaves persisting through anthesis. The flowers are white to cream-white and arranged in a spiral around the stem. The lip is usually yellow in the center. Bloom time is from May to (at its northern range) September.
  
  ## Distribution and habitat
  
  Spiranthes laciniata is native to the southeastern coastal plains, from Texas in the south all the way to New Jersey in the north.
  
  It is a wetland plant and grows in swamps and marshes, sometimes even in standing water.
  
  ## Taxonomy
  
  The Spiranthes laciniata name was first published by Oakes Ames in 1905, after John Kunkel Small had described the plants in 1903 as Gyrostachys laciniata.
  
  