Appendix 247 



labellum ; two lower sepals wholly united. Stem very short, 

 obscured by the basal leaves. Scape naked, 8-18 inches high, 

 single-flowered, terminal. Few instances where two flowers or 

 buds in embryo have occurred. Leaves 2, sheathing the base 

 of peduncle, oblanceolate 3-5 nerved, hirsute and thickened ; 

 6-8 inches long, 2-3 inches wide, resembling the leaves of 

 Orchis spedabilis Linnaeus. 



Continental Range — From Newfoundland, and Fort Franklin, 

 in latitude 54"-64 ' North ; southward to Lookout Mountain, 

 Mentone, and Cullman, Alabama ; westward to northern In- 

 diana, Minnesota, and Kentucky. 



New England Range — Maine, common ; New Hampshire, 

 common; Vermont, abundant; Massachusetts, abundant; Rhode 

 Island, common; Connecticut, common. 



II 



OrcKis 



Linnaeus, 1753 



Showy Orchis 



The generic name. Orchis, refers to opxf^, the son of a rural 

 deity of classical mythology, in whose memory these flowers 

 were designated. 



Plants with biennial roots. Anther i. Labellum connate 

 with base of the column ; produced below into a spur. Sepals 

 separate, free to the base, similar in texture to the petals. Flow- 

 ers small, delicate white and rose-purple, fragrant ; in a short 

 terminal spike. Anther-sacs divergent ; poUinia granulose, 

 I in each anther-sac, which is attached at the base to a viscid 

 disk or gland. Glands enclosed in a pouch. Stem, scape-like, 

 5-angled, 4-12 inches high. Leaves 2, oblong-obovate, shin- 

 ing, basal, with several bracts above. Roots fleshy-fibrous or 

 tuberous. 



Continental Range — There are three reported species of this 

 genus for the Continent. Orchis, as a genus, contains 80 or 

 more species ranging throughout the temperate regions, of 

 Europe, Asia, Northern Africa, Canaries, and North America. 



North American species 3 



New England species 2 



Hoosac Valley species I 



New England species ; 



1. O. spectabilis Linnaeus, 1753. 



2. O. rotundifolia (Pursh) Liudley, 1814-1835. 



