BLUE AND PURPLE 



PURPLE FRINGED ORCHISES. 



Orchis Family (p. 17). 

 Habenaria fimbriata. 



Leaves. Oval or oblong ; the upper, few, passing into lance-shaped 

 bracts. Flowers. Purple, rather large ; with a fan-shaped, three-parted 

 lip, its divisions fringed ; with a long curving spur ; growing in a spike. 



Habenaria psy codes. 



Leaves. Oblong or lance-shaped, the upper passing into linear bracts. 

 Flowers. Purple, fragrant, resembling those of //. fimbriata, but much 

 smaller, with a less fringed lip ; growing in a spike. 



We should search the wet meadows in early June if we wish 

 to be surely in time for the larger of the purple fringed orchises, 

 for H. fimbriata somewhat antedates H. psy codes, which is the 

 commoner species of the two and appears in July. Under date 

 of June Qth, Thoreau writes : " Find the great fringed-orchis out 

 apparently two or tnree days, two are almost fully out, two or 

 three only budded ; a large spike of peculiarly delicate, pale-pur- 

 ple flowers growing in the luxuriant and shady swamp, amid hel- 

 lebores, ferns, golden senecio, etc. . . . The village belle 

 never sees this more delicate belle of the swamp. ... A 

 beauty reared in the shade of a convent, who has never strayed 

 beyond the convent-bell. Only the skunk or owl, or other in- 

 habitant of the swamp, beholds it. ' ' 



AMERICAN PENNYROYAL. 



Hedeoma fiulegioides. Mint Family (p. 16). 



Stem. Square, low, erect, branching, Leaves. Opposite, aromatic, 

 small. Flovvers. Purplish, small, whorled in the axils of the leaves. Ca- 

 lyx. Two-lipped, upper lip three-toothed, the lower two-cleft. Corolla. 

 Two-lipped, upper erect, notched at apex, the lower spreading and three- 

 cleft. Fertile stamens. Two. Pistil. One, with a two-lobed style. 



This well-known, strong-scented little plant is found through- 

 out the greater part of the country, blossoming in midsummer. 



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