118 AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 
spicuous though curious flowers ; three species 
of Cephalanthera, the name pointing to the posi- 
tion of the anther at the head of the column in 
the flower; and four rare genera, including 
Cypripedium, which, though reported to be ex- 
tinct, is, in fact, still found in Yorkshire. 
Most of the coloured species are capable of 
what is called the albino condition, in which 
their colour is exchanged for white. The 
writer has seen fields in Suffolk crowded with 
the early purple Orchis, O. mascula, in which 
the purple spikes were mingled with plentiful 
ones of a delicate white. The leaves of this 
species, mostly radical, are usually spotted, the 
spike lax, and centre of the lip whitish at the 
base, two outer sepals reflexed upwards. Its 
month is May. O. maculata, flowering in June, 
has also spotted leaves, but they are upon the 
stem, and diminish in size upwards till they 
become like bracts; the spike is crowded with 
pale flowers variegated with purple, and is 
narrowed upwards. Two other species are dis- 
tinguished from this: O. Zatzfolia, with leaves 
broadest about their middle, and a hollow 
stem, whereas the stem of maculata is solid; 
and O. zucarnata, whose leaves are narrowed 
