Spring lady's tresses

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Spring lady's tresses

Spring lady's tresses

Spring lady's tresses leaves

Spring lady's tresses flowers

Spring lady's tresses inflorescence

Morphology

Stem

Erect, slender, usually solitary, unbranched, densely pubescent above.

Leaves

Mostly basal, simple, sessile, few, grass-like, more or less erect, linear or narrowly lanceolate, mostly 2.5 to 8 inches long, less than 3/5 inch wide; margins entire; tips pointed.

Inflorescence

Spikes, slender, 2.5 to 6 inches long, with up to 50 flowers in single loose or tight spiral; floral bracts ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 1/4 to 1 inch long, hairy; tips tapering to points.

Flower

Usually perpendicular to stem, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, almost tubular, whitish to yellowish white, outer surface pubescent; sepals 3, 1/5 to 2/5 inch long, petal-like; petals 3, lower petal larger, constricted at middle; tip with small rounded teeth.

Fruit

Capsules, erect, egg-shaped, about 1/4 inch long; seeds numerous, tiny.

Ecology

Habitat

Moist prairies, meadows, ditches, and sandy woods, most abundant in loamy, acidic soils.

Distribution

East 1/2 of Kansas.

Additional Notes