294 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



of thick fibres. There are two or three sheathing 

 scales at the base of the stem, which is round, downy, 

 and sticky above. The two opposite large leaves are 

 broadly elliptic, or broadly ovate, strongly ribbed, 

 situated half-way up the stem. 



The flowers are greenish-yellow, in a long raceme, 

 which is slender, and loose. The sepals are deep- 

 green, ovate, rather acute. The petals have a two- 

 fid lip, which is saccate below, twice as long, with 

 two linear and no lateral lobes, and between are 

 terminal lobes, apiculate. 



One of our taller Orchids, Tway-blade may be as 

 much as 2 ft. high. It flowers from May to July, 

 and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Honey is secreted in a narrow depression in the 

 middle of the lip. The pollen is dry and dust-like. 

 The sticky fluid ejected from the sides of the rostellum, 

 which an insect touches when it thrusts it head into 

 the flower, serves to make the pollinia adhere to its 

 head, and as it withdraws its head the yellow pollinia 

 are thus attached. Small Flies, Beetles, and Ichneu- 

 mons are constant visitors. 



The small seeds are dispersed by the wind on the 

 opening of the capsule. 



Bifoil, Double-leaf, Dufoil, Herb Bifoil, Twifoil 

 are other names enumerated in the ' Dictionary of 

 Plant Names.' 



LiSTERA OVATA. — In Fig. 79 note the pair of 

 opposite ovate leaves^ with parallel veins, and the long, 

 slender, loose, raceme of flowers, the long lip saccate below. 



