DEEP, COOL, MOIST WOODS 385 



ing at the base, but springing from the bulb at the side of the 

 scape, large, oval, pointed, 4 to 6 inches long. Flowers in loose 

 racemes which are 2 to 4 inches long, pedicelled, each with its 

 own narrow bract. The singular, united corms of this plant 

 give it the marital name, 2, sometimes 3 or 4, being joined 

 together by offshoots. One little bulb is formed new every 

 year, but retains life for 2 or 3 years. The latest corm sends 

 up in late summer or fall a broad leaf, which usually lasts over 

 the winter. The next season the flowers come up. 



E.xtending over the country from New England to California, 

 southward to Missouri. 



6g. Early Coralroot 



Corallorhlza Corallorhlza or inndta. — Fajfti/y, Orchid. 

 Co/or, dull brownish purple, with a whitish red -dotted lip. 

 Leaves, none, but the base of the scape is covered with 2 to 5 

 sheathing scales. Ti??ie, May, June. 



Sepals and petals, small, the lip being shorter than the 

 petals, all borne upon a sac-like protuberance or spur, which 

 rises above the ovary. Flowers, 3 to 12 in a raceme which 

 is 2 or 3 inches long. The root, branched and toothed like a 

 coral branch, gives the plant its name. It is parasitic on 

 roots of other plants, or saprophytic, finding its nourishment 

 on dead or decaying vegetable matter. 4 to 12 inches high. 



There are 5 species of coral-root found in the Atlantic States, 

 not any of them being very common. This is found as far south 

 as New Jersey, and in the mountains to Georgia and westward. 



70. Small-flowered Coralroot 



C. odontorhiza has purplish, small flowers on a purplish scape 

 from a coral-shaped rootstock. Lip, broad as compared with 

 the petals and sepals, notched, spotted. Perianth borne upon 

 a long, globose spur, which rises from the ovary. 



The flowers appear in late summer from Massachusetts south- 

 ward and westward. 6 to 15 inches Iiigh. 

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