Alternate name: Grass-leaf Ladies'-tresses, Green-vein Ladies'-tresses

Family: Orchidaceae, Orchid view all from this family

Description Native eastern orchid with grasslike leaves and slender stem of small, hood-shaped, greenish-white flowers.
Flowers: 1/2" (12 mm); white, cream, or greenish; 6 unequal petals, lowest one largest, wavy-toothed, green-veined; in spiral or straight rows atop stems.
Leaves: 10" (25 cm), linear to thread-like.
Height: 8-30" (20-75 cm).

Flower February-September.

Habitat Swamps, sandhills, wet pine flatwoods, marshes, roadsides.

Range Coastal plain from New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas, inland to southern Arkansas and southeastern tip of Oklahoma.

Discussion Two dozen species of ladies'-tresses (genus Spiranthes can be found in the United States. They belong to the orchid family.