Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 93 



WHORLED POGONIA (Pogonia verticillata) has a 

 single flower on a long stem, 8 to 12 in. high; the 

 sepals are greenish-yellow, long, linear, with the 

 edges rolled or folded together; the petals are ob- 

 long-lanceolate and purple; the lip is also purple, 

 wedged-shaped, three-lobed and with a hairy crest 

 down the middle. Five lanceolate and stemless 

 leaves are in a whorl about the stem just below the 

 flower. It is a peculiar, inconspicuous plant found 

 locally in moist woods from Me. to Wise, and south- 

 wards. 



SHOWY ORCHIS (Orchis spectabilis) is a charm- 

 ing early blooming orchid found in flower from April 

 to June in moist woods, often under hemlock trees. 

 Two broad, ovate, deeply ribbed, beautiful green 

 leaves sheath the flower scape at its base. The four 

 to twelve flowers are loosely racemed at the top of 

 the scape which is from 5 to 10 in. high. The magen- 

 ta-pink petals and sepals are united to form a hood; 

 the lip, curving abruptly downwards, is broadly ovate 

 and white; each flower has a short spur and is 

 bracted. 



The Showy Orchis is our only true native Orchid. 

 It secretes plenty of nectar in the flower spurs and, 

 consequently, is visited by many insects, most valu- 

 able of which are bees. As she presses her head 

 firmly in the mouth of the flower to drain the bottom 

 of the tube, her face ruptures the thin membrane of 

 a pouch containing two sticky buttons carrying pollen 

 masses. These become firmly attached to her eyes; 

 the slender stalks holding the pollen bend forward 

 bringing it directly in front of her head, and it is 

 deposited on the awaiting stigma of the next flower 

 visited; surely a wonderful way for Nature to insure 

 cross pollenization. 



This species is found throughout the U. S. Another 

 with a single leaf and with the flower lip spotted 

 with magenta is local farther north. 



