THE fl/KVERICp BDTpiST. 



Vol. V. BINGHAMTON, N. Y., DECEMBER, 1903. No. 6 



THE ORCHIDS OF WELLINGTON COUNTY, ubrm 



ONTARIO. ^^'^^^ 



BY A. B. KLUGH. *-^„ „,., 



.QMONG the floral inhabitants of our bogs, swamps and 

 '^ J- woods there are none more interesting or beautiful 

 than those belonging to the Orchidacege. During the past 

 summer I paid considerable attention to those plants with 

 the result that I am able to list nineteen species, which • 

 while not representing the total orchid-flora of the county 

 gives us a foundation on which to build. To me one of 

 the chief attractions of these plants is the habitat which 

 they affect. It is nearly always the most secluded place in 

 the locality, and on account of the spahagnum through 

 which one sinks to the knees in water, the heat and the 

 mosquitoes it is not the kid-glove botanist or the closet 

 naturalist who is successful in an orchid-hunt. 



The first orchid to be found w^as Corallorhiza innata, 

 the coral-root, which was in bloom in a cedar swamp on 

 May 11. It is a peculiar little plant and inconspicuous 

 enough to be easily overlooked. That it is parasitic upon 

 the roots of trees can be at once seen by its lack of chloro- 

 phyll. It had finished flowering by June 16 and the seed 

 was ripe by July 23. 



On May 23 the first Cypripedium parvi£orum, the 

 smaller yellow lady's slipper v^as found in bloom. This 

 orchid is not as common here as its relati vepu/bescews from 

 which it may be distinguished by the labellum being flat- 

 tish above instead of convex, or more easily perhaps by its 

 beautiful scent. It inhabits swamps and damp woods, 

 and has finished blooming by about June 1. Cypripedium 

 pwibesceijs, the larger j^ellow lady's slipper is an inhabitant 



