82 FLOWERS OF THE FIELDS AND MEADOWS 



The second Latin name refers to the spotted petals, the spots being 

 honey-guides, or to the spotted leaves. 



It is called Adam-and-Eve, Adder's-grass, Baldberry, Crawfoot, 

 Crowfoot, Dead Man's Fingers, Dead Man's Hands, Hen's Combs, 

 Lover's Wanton, Man Orchis, Nightcap, Red-lead. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



292. Orchis maculata, L. Tubers palmate, stem tall, solid, leaves 

 lanceolate, spotted, flowers lilac, spotted, sepals 3, spreading, bracts 

 with three or more veins. 



Purple Crocus (Crocus officinalis, Huds.) 



The Purple Crocus is a southern plant found in Mid and S. Europe, 

 and not earlier in the N. Temperate Zone. It is naturalized in Notts 

 and Middlesex, and a few other places in England and Ireland. 



Like the Yellow Crocus, which is found likewise in meadows in 

 Warwick, Stafford, Salop, Notts, Derby, Chester, S. Lanes, S.W. 

 Yorks, the Purple Crocus is but naturalized, and though established 

 in the localities now known for it, it was doubtless an escape 

 originally. 



It grows in wet low-lying meadows by the margin of rivers in 

 central and S. England. 



This short-stemmed plant (the aerial stem is really a scape) is 

 characterized by its bulb-like stem base, with fibrous coats, broad and 

 flattened. The sheaths of the leaves are netlike, torn, dirty brown, 

 and enclose the scape. The leaves are radical leaves, linear, furrowed, 

 white below. 



The flowers are purple and appear with the leaves. They are 

 borne on erect scapes with hairs. The mouth of the flower is closed 

 with hairs, and the segments are blunt. The stigmas, which are deep- 

 orange colour, are expanded. The anthers are bright -yellow. The 

 capsule is on a long, slender flower-stalk with small red seeds. 



It is 6 in. in height. The flowers open in April. It is a perennial 

 plant propagated by division of the roots. 



In Crocus vernus honey is secreted by the ovary and rises in 

 the tube, which is narrow and filled up by the style, nearly to the 

 expanded mouth. Long-lipped Lepidoptera alone can reach it. The 

 anthers ripen first. The ovary remains below the soil and is thus 

 protected. The anthers dehisce away from the centre or extrorsely, 

 and the stigmas unfold afterwards and touch an insect alighting on the 

 petals. The stigmas are branched. Humble-bees can only skim the 



