Spiranthes diluvialis

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Spiranthes diluvialis
Spiranthes diluvialis.jpg
Status TNC G2.svg
Imperiled  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Spiranthes
Species:
S. diluvialis
Binomial name
Spiranthes diluvialis
Sheviak
Synonyms [4]

Spiranthes romanzoffianavar.diluvialis(Sheviak) S.L. Welsh

Contents

Spiranthes diluvialis is a rare species of orchid known as Ute lady's tresses [5] (also, Ute ladies'-tresses). The species name diluvialis means "of the flood". [6] It is native to the western United States, where there are scattered, mostly small occurrences in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Two occurrences were discovered in southern British Columbia in 2006. [1] [7] : 7  The plant faces a number of threats to its existence. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States. [2] [6]

Taxonomy

Specimens of this orchid were first collected in 1856 [6] and have been labeled with the names of several species, including Spiranthes romanzoffiana , S. cernua , and S. porrifolia before the plant was finally described as a new species in 1984. [8] Morphological and genetic analysis suggest that the orchid is of ancient hybrid origin between S. romanzoffiana and S. magnicamporum and is tetraploid, with four sets of chromosomes resulting from the combination of a pair from each parent species. [9] [10]

Description

It is a perennial terrestrial orchid with an erect stem growing 20 to 62 centimeters in height. The narrow lance-shaped leaves are arranged around the base of the stem and are up to 28 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a spiral of many flowers on a stalk coated in glandular hairs. The flower has narrow white or ivory-colored petals. Blooming occurs in July and August, and sometimes into September, [11] and October. [1] The plant reproduces sexually by seed and vegetatively by sprouting from broken-off pieces of root. The seeds are so small they are like dust; one plant can produce 100,000 individual seeds. [6] Like other orchids, this species depends on mycorrhizal fungi to help the seeds germinate. The flowers are pollinated by bees of genus Anthophora , especially Anthophora terminalis , as well as bumblebees (Bombus spp.). [6] [12]

Habitat

This plant grows in moist wetland habitat, including bogs and riparian areas such as riverbanks, floodplains, lakeshores, riverside woodlands and forest, desert springs, and meadows, and human-made habitat such as ditches, reservoirs, and irrigated agricultural settings. [1] In 2005 there were about 52 occurrences. The population size is difficult to count or estimate because the plant spends most of its time in a vegetative or dormant state, in which there are few or no aboveground plant parts and these may be hidden in dense surrounding vegetation or hard to identify. Some plants may be dormant underground for years at a time. What appear on paper to be larger populations are actually areas that have been more often and intensely surveyed. [6]

Conservation

Threats to this species include habitat loss and degradation via many processes. Urban development has led to the extirpation of a number of populations, including some within the Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas. It continues to be a threat in many areas, including the vicinity of Boulder, Colorado. Threats associated with urban development include the introduction of weeds into the habitat and the loss of pollinating insects. Construction and maintenance of roads and other infrastructure, such as dams and pipelines, damages habitat. Recreational activities in the plant's riparian habitat, such as boating and off-road vehicle use, can be damaging. Some populations grow in irrigated fields and are susceptible to mowing and other farm activity, and the conversion to agricultural use consumes natural areas. As much as 65% of the plant's known habitat is affected by cattle and horse grazing; this can be harmful but it may also be beneficial in some ways, especially if the animals eat competing weeds. The orchid grows in wetland habitat, which is degraded by any process that alters the local hydrology; one estimate had 52% of all individuals in areas threatened by hydrological change. Water is diverted for irrigation and municipal use. The orchid grows in flood-prone river habitat and flood suppression via levees and other structures affects and prevents this natural process. River restoration activities have been known to negatively affect orchid populations that have become established or re-established in previously altered river habitat. [6]

Invasive species of plants considered threats include redtop (Agrostis stolonifera), musk thistle (Carduus nutans), spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), Fullers teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia), quickgrass (Elytrigia repens), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), peppergrass (Lepidium latifolium), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis), and saltcedar (Tamarix chinensis). [6]

This plant grows in many types of habitat reliant on natural cycles of disturbance, such as flooding and occasional wildfire. Without these processes, the habitat becomes overgrown and large and woody vegetation types move in as ecological succession causes overall change. When flooding is controlled and fire suppression is implemented, the orchid may face inadequate conditions, such as too much shade or thick layers of built-up leaf litter. [6]

Other threats include herbivory by native animals such as bighorn sheep, voles, and rabbits. The loss of pollinating bees is a threat, as is the loss of other wildflowers that attract the bees. Other documented threats include drought, pesticides, pollution, and poaching. [6]

The plant has been assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as nationally endangered. [7] The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists S. diluvialis as globally of least concern based on the estimates on the number of mature individuals made in 2004 and 2005. [13]

Related Research Articles

The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

<i>Platanthera praeclara</i> Species of orchid

Platanthera praeclara, known as the western prairie fringed orchid and the Great Plains white fringed orchid, is a rare and threatened species of orchid native to North America.

<i>Spiranthes</i> Genus of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae

Spiranthes is a genus of orchids in the subfamily Orchidoideae. They are known commonly as ladies tresses, ladies'-tresses, or lady's tresses. The genus is distributed in the Americas, Eurasia, and Australia. The genus name Spiranthes is derived from the Greek speira ("coil") and anthos ("flower"), and was inspired by the spirally arranged inflorescence.

<i>Spiranthes spiralis</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes spiralis, commonly known as autumn lady's-tresses, is an orchid that grows in Europe and adjacent North Africa and Asia. It is a small grey-green plant. It forms a rosette of four to five pointed, sessile, ovate leaves about 3 cm (1.2 in) in length. In late summer an unbranched stem of about 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) tall is produced with approximately four sheath-shaped leaves. The white flowers are about 5 mm (0.20 in) long and have a green spot on the lower lip. They are arranged in a helix around the upper half of the stalk. The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES as a species that is not currently threatened with extinction but that may become so. Autumn lady's-tresses are legally protected in Belgium, UK and the Netherlands, and in some regions of France.

<i>Cirsium pitcheri</i> Species of thistle

Cirsium pitcheri, sometimes called Pitcher's thistle or dune thistle, is a species of thistle native to sand dune shorelines along the upper Great Lakes. It is native to Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario. It is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a threatened species.

<i>Spiranthes romanzoffiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Spiranthes romanzoffiana, commonly known as hooded lady's tresses or Irish lady's-tresses, is a species of orchid. Collected by Chamisso during the Romanzov expedition it was described by him in 1828 and named for Count Nikolay Rumyantsev who financed the expedition. This orchid is native to North America, Ireland and Great Britain.

<i>Spiranthes parksii</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes parksii, the Navasota ladies' tresses, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Texas, United States. The flower was first discovered in 1945 and was first described by Donovan Stewart Correll in his 1950 book, Native Orchids of North America North of Mexico.

<i>Spiranthes cernua</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes cernua, commonly called nodding lady's tresses, or nodding ladies' tresses, is a species of orchid occurring from Maritime Canada to the eastern and southern United States. As the common name suggests cernua means "nodding", or "bowed" in Latin.

<i>Spiranthes porrifolia</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes porrifolia is a species of orchid known by the common names creamy lady's tresses and western ladies' tresses. It is native to the western United States from Washington and Idaho to southern California. It can be found in moist habitats, such as mountain meadows, swamps, fens, and riverbanks. It is a perennial herb growing from a tuberous root system, reaching a maximum height around 60 cm (24 in). The leaves are mainly located around the base of the erect stem. They are linear or lance-shaped, or sometimes nearly oval. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence, a dense spiral of many flowers. Each flower is somewhat tubular, with an upper and lower lip, and cream to yellowish in color.

<i>Astragalus holmgreniorum</i> Species of endangered plant

Astragalus holmgreniorum is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names Holmgren milk-vetch and paradox milk-vetch. It is native to a tiny section of desert shrub woodland on the border between Utah and Arizona, in the far northern Mojave Desert. There are six populations remaining. It is a federally listed endangered species.

<i>Clematis socialis</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae

Clematis socialis is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Alabama leather flower. It is native to the US states of Alabama and Georgia, where it is known from only five populations. The species is seriously threatened by habitat destruction. It is a federally listed endangered species.

<i>Spiranthes delitescens</i> Species of plant

Spiranthes delitescens is a rare species of orchid known by the common names reclusive lady's tresses, Canelo Hills lady's tresses, and Madrean lady's tresses. It is native to Arizona in the United States, where there are only four occurrences. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

<i>Spiranthes magnicamporum</i> Species of plant

Spiranthes magnicamporum, commonly called the Great Plains lady's tresses, is a species of orchid that is native to North America. It is primarily native in the Great Plains, but there are outlying populations in the east in areas of former natural grassland, such as the Black Belt prairies of the Southeast. It is found in both fens and wet and dry prairies, often in calcareous soil.

<i>Spiranthes tuberosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Spiranthes tuberosa, commonly called little lady's tresses, little pearl-twist and slender ladies'-tresses is an orchid species. It is a perennial plant native to North America.

<i>Spiranthes lucida</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes lucida, the shining ladies'-tresses, is a species of orchid native to northeastern North America.

<i>Spiranthes brevilabris</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes brevilabris, the short lipped ladies' tresses or Texas lady's tresses is a rare and endangered orchid native to the southeastern United States.

<i>Spiranthes perexilis</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes perexilis, the languid ladies’-tresses, is a species of orchid native to California and Oregon.

<i>Spiranthes triloba</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes triloba, the panther ladies' tresses is a terrestrial orchid endemic to Florida.

Brickellia mosieri, the Florida brickell-bush, is a North American herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. It grows in Pine Rocklands in Florida, preferring low-nutrient sand close to sea level. It is characterized by small, round, rod-shaped flowers that are either brown or white. Since 1999, the total population of the Florida brickell-bush has declined by 50% due to a number of threats. Currently, it is listed as "endangered wherever found" under the ESA

<i>Spiranthes sheviakii</i> Species of orchid

Spiranthes sheviakii, the old field ladies' tresses, is a species of orchid growing in North America.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 NatureServe (3 January 2025). "Spiranthes diluvialis". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Ute ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis)". Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  3. ↑ England, John L.; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (17 January 1992). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule to List the Plant Spiranthes Diluvialis (Ute Ladies'-Tresses) as a Threatened Species". Federal Register. 57 (12): 2048–2054. 57 FR 2048
  4. ↑ "Spiranthes diluvialis Sheviak". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  5. ↑ NRCS. "Spiranthes diluvialis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fertig, W., et al. (2005). Rangewide status review of Ute Ladies'-Tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis). Prepared for the USFWS and Central Utah Water Conservancy District. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  7. 1 2 COSEWIC (2018). COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Utes Ladies'-tresses Spiranthes diluvialis in Canada (Report). Ottawa: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  8. ↑ Sheviak, C. J. (1984). Spiranthes diluvialis (Orchidaceae), a new species from the western United States. Brittonia 36(1) 8-14. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  9. ↑ Arft, A.M.; Ranker, T.A. (1998). "Allopolyploid origin and population genetics of the rare orchid Spiranthes diluvialis". American Journal of Botany. 85 (1): 110–122. doi: 10.2307/2446560 . JSTOR   2446560.
  10. ↑ Szalanski, A. L., et al. (2001). Origin and conservation genetics of the threatened Ute ladies'-tresses, Spiranthes diluvialis (Orchidaceae). [ dead link ]Am J Bot 88(1) 177-80. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  11. ↑ Spiranthes diluvialis. Flora of North America. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  12. ↑ Spiranthes diluvialis. Center for Plant Conservation. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  13. ↑ Goedeke, T.; Sharma, J.; Treher, A.; Frances, A.; Poff, K. (2015). "Spiranthes diluviali". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T64176965A64176968. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T64176965A64176968.en . Retrieved 8 January 2025.
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