Popcorn Road drops quite steeply
from US-76 and then climbs quite steeply again. When it drops down ino the next
valley, the road fords and unnamed creek and curves slightly to the left. The
area on the outside of the curve is very wet in the path of the drainage from a
spring – water is running; it’s wetter than a seep. The orchids were
growing in the middle of this wet area in the full afternoon sun.
A section of the patch of orchids. The flowering stems were much more visible than they appear in this photograph.
Closer, and …
still closer. There were probably about two dozen plants in this area that extended further up the road.
Views of an individual stem …
in the sunlight, and…
in the shade when a cloud moved
over.
A closer view of the stem.
A close view of the flowering section of the stem, and…
closer
views of individual flowers. These were still blooming on October 20th
when we drove by this area again.
Spiranthes cernua (Nodding Lady’s
Tresses) is native to the United States where it’s found from Maine west to
Wisconsin and south to Nebraska, Texas and Georgia; it’s not been documented in
Florida. In Georgia, its been documented in counties throughout the state.
Click
on an image to view a larger image
Identification Resources:
Southeastern Flora: Spiranthes cernua (Nodding Lady’s Tresses)
Natural
and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Spiranthes cernua (Nodding Ladies'-tresses)
Distribution:
United
States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Spiranthes cernua (Nodding Lady’s Tresses)
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