About Spiranthes praecox (Walter) S.Watson
Spiranthes praecox (Walter) S.Watson is a herbaceous plant species that reaches a height of 20 to 75 centimeters, and produces up to 7 long basal leaves. It bears up to 40 white flowers arranged in a spiral pattern along its stem. The lip of each individual flower has prominent, branched green veins. Its main blooming period runs from February to June, and blooming can occur even later at the northern edge of the species' range. A named form, Spiranthes praecox forma albolabia, differs by having pure white flower lips with yellowish veins instead of green. The species is native to 16 US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. It grows in coastal plains, where it inhabits dry to moist prairies, meadows, pinelands, and bogs.
