74 IVILD, OR NATIVE FLO I VERS. 



taking the semblance of the tail and wings, the upper ones meeting 

 over the anther-cells, which might be likened to the two eyes of the 

 bird, and the arched hooded appendage above, to the head. 



The scape of this pretty Orchis is furnished with one handsome 

 round or shield-shaped leaf, of shining bright green, and a bracted spike 

 of white flowers, spotted with delicate pink, as also is the throat of the 

 arched petal that partly covers the anthers and stigmatic disc. 



Our beautiful Orchids, with many other rare bog-plants, repay the 

 difficulties of obtaining them in their native haunts, such as Cedar swamps» 

 Cranberry marshes, Poplar swales, and Peat bogs ; where, however 

 zealous, our lady botanists may not venture without risk. 



These rare plants, growing in lonely isolated places, are little known 

 and but seldom met with, unless, as I have said, by the enthusiastic 

 botanist who is not afraid to seek for such floral treasures, however 

 difficult they may be to obtain. A curious and handsome species is the 

 Striped Orchis or Coral- root, Cotallorhiza tnuliijlora, (Nutt). This plant 

 is leafless, silvery-sheathing scales taking the place of leaves ; the roots 

 are branched and knobby, like some kinds of coral ; the scapes, many 

 flowered, growing up in clusters from twelve to eighteen inches high ; 

 flowers pale fawn, striped and dotted with crimson or purple ; such 

 was a plant that I found at the root of a big Hemlock tree, near the 

 forest road where I often walked many years ago. 



There are several different species of this curious order, varying 

 jn size and the colour of their blossoms. 



Of fringed and tufted fragrant kinds, we have the Pearly White 

 and the Fringed Pink Orchids. These are very pretty and not un- 

 common flowers. I first saw them on my voyage up the St. Lawrence, 

 when the ship was anchored off Bic Island and the Captain brought 

 me a noble posy of sweet flowers, the first Canadian flowers I ever saw. 

 Among Wild Roses, and elegant Blue Lungwort, Mertensia iiiarilima, 

 which I had also seen and gathered near Kirkwall, in Orkney ; there 

 were yellow Loose-strife, Hare-bells, and the sweet scented White Fringed 

 Orchis, the Pink Fringed Orchis and some elegant cream-coloured 

 \'etches, with several other flowers then unknown to me. 



There are many other plants of the Orchis family scattered through 

 our woods and swamps, and on the rocky or low islands of our Northern 

 Lakes. Among those not already mentioned, the Larger Fringed Orchis 

 Hahenaria fiiiibriata, may be named. This is a tall handsome bog- 

 plant, flowering in the beginning of July, with large rose-purple, deeply- 

 cut petals. Another less conspicuous species, found in dry woods, is 

 the Northern (ircen-man Orchis, Hahenaria viridis (L.) var. bractcatay 



