SHOWY ORCHIS 



the certainty that more orchids will arise in the woods. 

 But if the bee does not come, the lure and the trap and 

 the way are all in vain. 



SHOWY ORCHIS 



Orchis spectdbiUs. Galcorchis spccldhilis 



Orchis is the ancient name, of unknown meaning. 



Perennial. One of the most charming of woodland 

 flowers found in rich, moist woods. New Brunswick to 

 Ontario, southward to Georgia, Kentucky, and Nebraska. 

 Frequent in northern Ohio. April, May. 



Roots. — Fleshy, fibrous. 



Scape. — Angled, few-flowered, four to eight inches high; 

 bracts leaf-like, lanceolate. 



Leaves. — Two, rarely three, oblong-obovate, shining, 

 three to six inches long, parallel-veined. 



Flowers. — Showy, pink and white, in a few-flowered 

 spike; lip turned downward, coalescing with base of col- 

 umn, spurred below; anther cells near together and paral- 

 lel; sepals and petals all lightly unite to form the upper 

 hood, pink-purple; the ovate, undivided lip is white. 



This is the first orchid of the year; very charming 

 and very beautiful. It dwells of choice in rich, moist 

 open woods, growing from four to twelve inches high. 

 The single, thick, fleshy stem springs from between a 

 pair of shining, broadly oval leaves narrowed into a 

 groove at the base. From three to six fragrant, inch- 

 long flowers are clustered on the stalk, each with a 

 clasping bract, forming a short, loose terminal spike. 

 The small sepals and petals look much alike and to- 

 gether form a pink-tinted and white-pointed hood, 



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