PINK 



A certain fascination attends the very name of orchid. Bot- 

 anist and unscientific flower-lover alike pause with unwonted in- 

 terest when the discovery of one is announced. With the former 

 there is always the possibility of finding some rare species, while 

 the excitement of the latter is apt to be whetted with the hope 

 of beholding a marvellous imitation of bee or butterfly fluttering 

 from a mossy branch with roots that draw their nourishment 

 from the air ! While this little plant is sure to fail of satisfying 

 the hopes of either, it is far prettier if less rare than many of its 

 brethren, and its interesting mechanism will repay our patient 

 study. It is said closely to resemble the "long purples," O. 

 mascula, which grew near the scene of Ophelia's tragic death. 



TWISTED STALK. 



Streptoptts roscus. Lily Family. 



Stems. Rather stout and zigzag, forking and diverging. Leaves. 

 Taper-pointed, slightly clasping. Flowers. Dull purplish-pink, hanging on 

 thread-like flower-stalks from the axils of the leaves. Perianth. Some- 

 what bell-shaped, of six distinct sepals. Stamens. Six. Pistil. One, 

 with a three-cleft stigma. 



This plant presents a graceful group of forking branches and 

 pointed leaves. No blossom is seen from above, but on pick- 

 ing a branch one finds beneath each of its outspread leaves one 

 or two slender, bent stalks from which hang the pink, bell-like 

 flowers. In general aspect the plant somewhat resembles its 

 relations, the Solomon's seal, with which it is found blossoming 

 in the woods of May or June. The English title is a translation 

 of the generic name, Streptopus. 



WILD PINK. 



Silene Pennsylvania. Pink Family. 



Stems. Four to eight inches high. Leaves. Those from the root nar- 

 rowly wedge-shaped, those on the stem lance-shaped, opposite. Flowers. 

 Bright pink, clustered. Calyx. Five-toothed. Corolla. Of five petals. 

 Stamens. Ten. Pistil. One, with three styles. 



When a vivid cluster of wild pinks gleams from some rocky 

 opening in the May woods, it is difficult to restrain one's eager - 



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