Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 53 



PURPLE TWISTED-STALK (Streptopus roseus) 



has, as would be judged from its name, a very angular 

 or twisted stem. At each angle or joint, appears an 

 ovate-lanceolate, cordately-ribbed, shining green leaf, 

 seated on the stem; those of this species are 

 bright green on both sides. From the axils of the 

 terminal leaves appear small flowers on slender 

 thread-like peduncles; these flowers are sometimes 

 single or, again, in pairs; they have a bell-shaped 

 base and the perianth is divided into six lanceolate, 

 spreading dull purple sepals. The stem, which is 

 rather sparingly bristly-hairy, reaches heights of 1 

 to 2% feet. This rosy species blooms in May and 

 June in cold moist woods from Newfoundland to 

 Manitoba and southwards to the Gulf of Mexico. 



COMMON TWISTED-STALK (Streptopus amplexi- 

 folius) is similar but has greenish-white flowers, the 

 six sepals of which are very strongly reflexed. The 

 plant is somewhat larger, the smooth stem being 

 from 2 to 3 feet in length. The leaves are light, 

 glossy green and have a whitish bloom on the under 

 side; they clasp the stem with their bases. The per- 

 fect flowers are probably largely fertilized by the 

 numerous small bee-like flies that are usually found 

 about them. In the Fall, the plants are decorated 

 with bright red berries in place of the blossoms. 

 Birds are fond of these berries and, by scattering the 

 seeds contained therein far and wide, often found 

 new colonies of Twisted-stalks. The common spe- 

 cies is found throughout northern United States and 

 the southern half of Canada. 



