Ladies Tresses are the last orchid to appear in North America each year. This one is Nodding Ladies Tresses. The word Tresses refers to a ladies hair. It is suppose to look like braided hair. The flowers do appear to spiral down the flower, but, actually, the flowers only grow on one side of the stem. It is the stem that twists. This orchid is one that caused Asa Gray and Charles Darwin to spend a lot of time studying the very unique way that this flower is pollinated. When the bee sticks its tongue into the flower to sip the nectar, the contact causes a little disk to split. This, I believe, releases a very sticky cement like substance onto a little vertical boat as the tongue goes by it, it coats the sides of the bee's tongue with this glue that dries almost immediately causing what ever pollen that was present to be attached to the bee's tongue. When the bee then goes on to the next flower or blossom the pollen will, if the flower is mature enough, come in contact with thematured stigma causing pollination. This is how the Tresses are pollinated and it is only half the story.... if you are interested there is more about the shape of the pollen and how the bee can still roll up his tongue with the pollen attached ....... go on line and Google "How Ladies Tresses are pollinated" and you may find out more about this lovely flower.
Where I found it : In the same field as the Turtleshead. So a wet field is where you may find them.
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