VEGETATION IN THE DUNES 



like drops that glitter in the sunlight on the 

 tips of the bristles covering the little round 

 red leaves. This '' dew " is not so innocent as 

 its name would seem to imply, and leads to the 

 death of tiny insects. Attracted by the dew, 

 which is secreted by the plant, the insect 

 alights, and is held there by the glutinous 

 fluid and also b}^ the tiny hairs which bend 

 over and enclose it. At the same time a di- 

 gestive secretion is poured out, under the 

 action of which the nutritious parts of the 

 victims are dissolved and absorbed. It is rare 

 to find a plant without one or more insects 

 in various stages of digestion on its leaves. 

 They are veritable charnel-houses. The flow- 

 ers are borne on stalks and are white and 

 inconspicuous. In the shady bogs grow also 

 clumps of the beautiful royal or flowering 

 fern, as well as the sturdy interrupted and 

 cinnamon ferns. 



Before taking leave of the smaller plants 

 I should mention another orchid, the lady's 

 slipper, which, however, is hardly a sand dune 

 plant, for it demands the sheltering environ- 

 ment of the pitch pines that grow among the 

 dunes. In May and June its beautiful crim- 

 son pink flowers nod upon their stalks. Moc- 



79 



