Spiranthes lacera
 
Northern Slender Ladies'-Tresses

Flower Front/Side

5.9 km North of Highway # 3 on Silica Sands Road,
33 km East of Hudson Bay

31-July-2020

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Lacera: Answers to key questions in Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton leading to this species. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key.
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Flowers in a single rank loosely spiraled (0) 3 (5) times around rachis; sepals and petals to 5 mm long; lateral sepals clearly separate from hood; lip to 5 mm long, ovate to oblong with a central green-yellow spot; ovary about 3 mm long; leaves elliptic to ovate, basal, often absent at anthesis.; NOT [Flowers in 2-3 ranks tightly spiraled around rachis; sepals and petals (5) 6-10 (12) mm long; lateral sepals upturned and part of the upward-arching hood formed by lateral petals and dorsal sepal; lip (5) 8-10 mm long, fiddle-shaped, i.e. constricted above the middle and with a rounded tip; ovary (2) 5-7 mm long; leaves linear, progressively reduced upward into leaf-like bracts, present at anthesis.]

 

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Spiranthes: Answers to key questions in Lilies, Irises & Orchids of Saskatchewan by Vernon L. Harms and Anna L. Leighton leading to this genus. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key. 
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Plants green, with at least some green leaf-blades, these sometimes early withering or late developing; flowering stems green (pale pink to purplish-red in Calypso bulbosa), bearing sheathing bracts in some species; rootstocks not coral-like; capsules spreading to erect (occasionally drooping when old); NOT [Plants non-green saprophytes lacking leaf-blades; flowering stems yellowish to purplish-red or brown (pale greenish-yellow in C. trifid), bearing sheathing bracts; rhizomes rootless, coral-like in their branching; capsules drooping]

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Flowers 3 or more in a spike-like inflorescence, small, often inconspicuous; lip usually less than 1 cm long, but if longer, neither inflated nor broad and flat; NOT [Flowers 1 to 2 per stalk (occasionally more in Cypripedium reginae and C. montanum), large, showy; lip 1 cm long or longer, either inflated or broad and flat]

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Lip not spurred; NOT [Lip spurred (spur short and bag-like in Coeloglossum viride)]

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Leaves solitary or several, but not paired; NOT [Leaves 2, paired either at base of stem or attached midway up stem]

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Flowers larger, lateral petals and sepals 3 mm long or longer; small bracts present on stem above leaves; stems arising from fleshy roots or creeping rhizomes; NOT [Flowers minute, lateral petals and sepals 2.5 mm long at most; bracts absent on stem above leaves; stems arising from pseudobulbs]

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Leaves basal or attached to lower stem, thin, not evergreen, uniformly green; lip base not inflated, lip tip broad and rounded; flowers not conspicuously glandular-pubescent; plants arising from clusters of thin to thick roots; NOT [Leaves all basal, thickish, evergreen, with midribs and veins often dark-lined or white-reticulated; lip base inflated into a sac; lip tip narrow and tapering; flowers conspicuously glandular pubescent; plants arising from creeping rhizomes with slender roots]

 

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Orchidaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family. 
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plants NOT aquatic

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flowers irregular; NOT [flowers regular]

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perianth present, conspicuous, in two series of 3 segments, often brightly colored; NOT [perianth absent or inconspicuous]

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perianth usually large, consisting of sepals and petals usually alike, variously colored; NOT [perianth small, consisting of 3 green sepals and 3 whitish petals]

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petals NOT deciduous

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stamens 1 or 2; NOT [stamens 3 or 6]