I owe this one to Bob and Lynne Davis. They stopped by Ijams the other day to tell me about the ladies’-tresses growing unnoticed a couple miles away from the nature center in South Knoxville.
The unusual flowers, also know as spiranthes, are in the orchid family.
There are several species worldwide, and although Bob wasn’t 100 percent certain because of the subtle differences between the various species, he thought the ones growing near Ijams are “Spiranthes cernua,” commonly called nodding ladies'-tresses or, perhaps, "Spiranthes tuberosa," a.k.a. little ladies'-tresses.
The plants can grow to a height of 4.5- to 15- inches. The eye-catching aspect is that the small white flowers are arranged in a spiral around the stem. They’re like the staircase inside a lighthouse. As the stem grows taller and taller, the staircase is extended higher and higher.
Remarkable design, don't you think?
Although the unusual orchid named “Lady” is growing near a church parking lot, I'll resist the temptation for a reference to "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. You know, something like the line, "Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know, Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.”
Did I mention that the wind was blowing when I took this photo?
“Ooooooooh, it makes me wonder.”
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1 comment:
Lovely photo, and flower. The spiral effect is delightful.
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