PURPLE ORCHIS 



79 



' The seeds being light and small are dispersed by the wind. 



The Purple Orchid is a peat plant, and requires humus soil. 



A fly, Parallelomma albiceps, is found on it. 



Orchis, Theophrastus, is from a Greek word orchis, used for plants 

 with a tuberous root. 



The plant is called Drake's-feet, Frogwort, Gandergoose, Gandi 

 gosling, Gethsemane, Geuky- 

 flower, Giddy Gander, Goosie 

 gander, Gowk Meat, Gramfer- 

 greygles, Red Granfer gregors, 

 Slander Grass, Greygles. 

 Gussets, Kettle Case, Kettle 

 Pad, King Finger, Long Pur- 

 ples, Man Orchis, Nightcap, 

 Poor Man's Blood, Priest's 

 Pintle, Purples, Rag-wort, 

 Red Butcher, Reel-lead, Ring 

 Finger, Salep, Scab - gowks, 

 Single Castle, Single - grass, 

 Skeat - legs, Snake Flower, 

 Soldiers' Jackets, &c. 



The Purple Orchid is called 

 Gethsemane because it was 

 said to have grown at the foot 

 of the Cross, and received 

 drops of blood on its leaves. 



The name Lover's Wanton 

 is explained thus: "Rustics 

 believe that if you take the 

 proper half of the root of an 

 Orchis and get anyone of the 



opposite sex to eat it, it will produce a powerful affection for you, 

 while the other half will produce as strong an aversion ". 



Then round the meddowes did she walke, 

 Catching each flower by the stalke; 

 Such as within the meddowes grew, 

 As dead men's thumb and harebell blew. 



PURPLE ORCHIS (Orchis masctila, L.) 



The tubers are so called from their reddish colour. 

 Skeat - legs, scaet meaning a swathing, refers to the sheathing 

 leaves. The dark flower spikes were called Adam, the pale ones Eve, 



