Kingdom Plantae Family Orchidaceae Rank Species | Order Asparagales Genus Spiranthes | |
Similar Spiranthes delitescens, Spiranthes ochroleuca, Spiranthes parksii, Spiranthes magnicamporum, Spiranthes diluvialis | ||
Spiranthes infernalis, common name Ash Meadows lady's tresses, is a rare species of orchid known from only four locations in Nevada, all close to one another. Type locale is inside Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, in Nye County approximately 90 miles (140 km) WNW of Las Vegas. The site is a seasonally wet meadow.
Spiranthes infernalis is a terrestrial herb up to 40 cm (16 inches) tall. It has tuberous roots. Leaves are lanceolate, up to 15 cm (6 inches) long. Flowers are yellowish-white with an orange lip, borne in a tightly spiralled spike.
The epithet "infernalis" means "of the underworld" or "of the nether regions," in reference to the extremely hot climate of the region.
References
Spiranthes infernalis Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA