About Spiranthes casei Catling & Cruise
Plants of Spiranthes casei Catling & Cruise grow between 7 and 44 cm tall. This species has both basal leaves and stem leaves; basal leaves typically remain present when the plant flowers in August and September. Like all Spiranthes, its flowers are arranged in a spiral around the stem. Each individual flower has 3 petals and 3 sepals, which together form a tube-like shape. The petals and sepals range in color from ivory to yellowish white or greenish cream. Spiranthes casei is very closely related to, and visually similar to, Spiranthes ochroleuca, but can be distinguished by its smaller flowers. Unlike S. ochroleuca, the dorsal (top) sepal and tips of the side petals of S. casei are not recurved, and it also has a comparatively reduced labellum. In terms of distribution, S. casei has been recorded in the US states of Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and in the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. It grows in forest, shrubland, and grassland habitats, and is mostly restricted to the lichen and bracken barrens of the Great Lakes Basin and the Canadian maritime provinces.
