Spiranthes spiralis was first described from Strasbourg, France in 1753, taking its name from the way in which the flowers are spirally arranged along the stem. Its common name is Autumn Lady’s Tresses and in many parts of Europe it is one of the very last orchids of the summer, often still being in flower at the end of September. In some areas of the Mediterranean including Sicily and Cyprus, this flowering period can even extend to the later weeks of October.

Spiranthes spiralis is a Mediterranean-Atlantic species, almost confined to Europe with some outposts in North Africa. The species is found north to the United Kingdom and Germany, east to western Ukraine and south to the Mediterranean. Despite its wide distribution and tolerance of a broad range of habitats, it is nowhere particularly common and often absent from seemingly suitable areas.

The trend of the population is unknown but the existing threats for the species and the habitats are unlikely to cause the populations to decline quickly in the near future. Therefore, Spiranthes spiralis is assessed as Least Concern.

Spiranthes spiralis is found in short grassland, close-cropped vegetation on grassland, abandoned cultivation, dunes, marshes, garrigue, road verges and open pinewoods. Although this species can occasionally be found in damp conditions, it primarily seeks a dry position in full sun with close cropped vegetation. This is in direct contrast to both Spiranthes romanzoffiana and Spiranthes aestivalis which may only be found in damp and often marshy habitats. Spiranthes spiralis can also be separated from other species of the genus by its tight inflorescence, the grey/blue coloration of the stem and the flowers in which the lateral sepals are held slightly away from the lip.

It is a small orchid which in open grassland rarely exceeds 20cms in height, although where it occurs in pinewoods, can reach a spindly 35cms. Spiranthes spiralis can be an unpredictable flowerer and its appearance seems critically linked to rainfall levels through the spring/summer development period. The flowering time is from August to October