Spiranthes lacera (Raf.) Raf.

Slender, 1–4 dm; basal lvs ovate-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, petiolate, spreading to form a rosette (but sometimes withering early), 1–6 × 0.6–3 cm; cauline sheaths (3)4–7, essentially bladeless; infl 3–15+ cm, its axis sparsely and minutely glandular-hairy especially upwards (hairs 0.1–0.2 mm), the fls in a single loose or compact spiral, spreading or somewhat declined, subcylindric, small, 3.5–6.5 mm, white except for the large green central spot on the lip; lip broadly oblong, erose at the rounded-subtruncate summit, its basal callosities 0.5–1 mm, higher than thick; 2n=30. Open, sandy places, often with pines; N.S. and N.B. to Sask., s. to Fla. and Tex. Two ill-defined vars. with broadly overlapping range: Var. lacera, with loose infl, lvs persistent at anthesis, and fl early (July), is northern, s. to Va., Tenn., and Mo. Var. gracilis (Bigelow) Luer, with denser infl, lvs withered by the time of anthesis, and fl late (Aug., Sept.) is southern, n. to s. N.H., c. Vt., s. Wis., and Nebr. (S. gracilis)