144 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



All the orchids of the Habenaria genus are sim- 

 ilar to the purple fringed orchid in their arrange- 

 ment, structure, and the way they have of fasten- 

 ing pollen upon their insect callers. Certain very 

 slight variations, which do not modify the proce- 

 dure, should, however, be pointed out. 



LARGE ROUND-LEAVED ORCHIS Habenaria orbiculata 

 July- August 



Remarkable for its two huge, round leaves, lying 

 flat upon the ground, and its very deep nectar-well, 

 a spur l 1 /^ inches long, whose depths the night- 

 moths and butterflies alone can reach and drain. 



In anticipation of such visits the flower places its 

 pollen-pockets divergently, with adhesive glands 

 toward each other, and so spaced as to just catch 

 the head of a moth between them. Consequently, 

 a moth who abandons all discretion and ventures so 

 deep into the flower will carry away two clubs of 

 pollen, glued to his head or his eyes, as we see in 

 the sketches on page 142. 



HOOKER'S ORCHIS Habenaria Hookeriana 

 June-Sept. 



An orchid resembling the former, but consider- 

 ably smaller. The pollen masses are attached to 



