TWAY-BLADE 109 
with a pair of leaves, egg-shaped (hence the second Latin name), near 
the base, acute, with five marked veins, opposite. 
The flowers are green, small, loosely arranged on a very long 
narrow raceme or spike. The inner petals are narrower, with a lip 
divided into two nearly to the base. The column has a crest or 
appendage, on which the anther is placed. The anthers are yellow, 
the sepals deep-green, and the petals yellow. When touched the 
rostellum, one of the stigmas, emits a sticky fluid. 
The Tway-blade is about 1 ft. high. The flowers bloom in May 
and June. This orchid is perennial, propagated by division of the root. 
The pollen is fri- 
able, and if not aggre- 
gated into a_ pollen 
mass would not adhere. 
It lies above the ros- 
tellum, and when the 
latter is touched it 
exudes a clammy fluid 
which rises to the level 
of the pollen. All the 
visitors are  Ichneu- 
mons except Gvram- 
yoptera levis. They 
attach the pollinia or Photo 
Flatters & Garnett 
pollen masses to the TWay-BLADE (Lisfera ovata, Br.) 
head, and apply them 
to fresh stigmas. Alighting on the lower part of the labellum or lip, 
they creep up, licking the honey in the groove, and raising the head 
they touch the rostellum, from the side of which fluid exudes. This 
fluid which rises to the apex of the pollinia cements them to the head 
of the insect which collects pollinia in each fresh flower. When touched 
the rostellum bends down to protect the stigma, and while the groove 
of the labellum is receiving fresh honey it rises, leaving the stigma 
free for application of new pollinia. The pollinia are erect at first on 
the insect’s head, and then bent down, and they spread apart and so 
touch the stigma. 
The seeds are light, and easily dispersed by the wind. 
Tway-blade is a clay-loving plant, common on clay soil in ash- 
woods and in humus soil. 
The leaves of Tway-blade are liable to be attacked by a fungus, 
Caoma orchidts. 
