Pink 



from a mossy branch with roots that draw their nourishment 

 from the air ! While this little plant is sure to fail of satisfying 

 the hopes of either, it is far prettier if less rare than many of its 

 brethren, and its interesting mechanism will repay our patient 

 study. It is said closely to resemble the "long purples," O. 

 ffiascula, which grew near the scene of Ophelia's tragic death. 



TWISTED STALK. 



Streptopus roseus. Lily Family. 



Stems. — Rather stout and zigzag ; forking and diverging. Leaves. — 

 Taper-pointed; slightly clasping. Flowers. — Dull purplish-pink ; hanging 

 on thread-like flower stalks from the axils of the leaves. Perianth. — Some- 

 what bell-shaped ; of six distinct sepals. Stamens. — Six. Pistil. — One, 

 with a three-cleft stigma. Fruit. — Red ; roundish ; late summer. 



This plant presents a graceful group of forking branches and 

 pointed leaves. No blossom is seen from above, but on pickin;? 

 a branch one finds beneath each of its outspread leaves one or 

 two slender, bent stalks from which hang the pink, bell-hke 

 flowers. In general aspect the plant somewhat resembles its re- 

 lation, the Solomon's seal, with which it is found blossoming in 

 the woods of May or June. The English title is a translation of 

 the generic name, Streptopus. 



In August one finds the curved leafy stems hung with bright 

 red berries. 



S. amplexifolius usually is a somewhat larger plant than the 

 above. Its strongly clasping leaves are very smooth, their under 

 sides covered with a whitish bloom. Its small flowers (with en- 

 tire, not three-cleft stigmas) are greenish white, drooping on a 

 long, abruptly bent flower-stalk. In August, when its forking 

 branches, hung with bright red berries, are reflected in the clear 

 water of some mountain stream, the plant is singularly striking 

 and decorative. 



20.1 



