MAY. 63 



Our native orchises, which though not in 

 bloom till next month, are now sending up from 

 the earth their long glossy leaves. There are 

 more than thirty species of our wild flowers, 

 not all called orchis, hut all of the orchideous 

 tribe, and all much alike. The two most com- 

 mon species, which are found in almost every 

 English county, are the early purple orchis, 

 {Orchis mascula,) and the green-winged meadow 

 orchis, (Orchis morio.) The former has its 

 leaves marked with dark purple sjtots, and is 

 very frequent in the woods in May, The latter 

 is found in meadows at the same season. They 

 are both of a pinkish purple colour, and the 

 wood species is sometimes deliciously fi'agrant. 

 The meadow orchis often grows pretty thickly 

 among the grass, and has been found with fawn- 

 coloured blossoms. The roots of both these 

 flowers are perfectly wholesome and nutritious. 

 The marsh orchis, (Orchis lafifolia,) and the 

 spotted palmate orchis, (Orchis maculuta,) are 

 also common, but on moist places only. They 

 have pale tinted lilac, or white flowers, and are 

 thus quite distinct from the two kinds just 

 mentioned. They are also taller and more 

 slender, but by no means so general. In Essex 

 and Cambridgeshire, they are almndant. On 

 the bogs about Tunbridge NVells, they are among 

 the most common flowers ; yet in many districts 

 in Kent, famous as it is for orchis ])lants, 

 and possessing peculiarities of soil necessary 

 for their production, not a single plant of these 

 two species can be fouiul 



