Minnesota Plant Life. 



385 



bears a single nodding, two-lipped violet flower. Each leaf 

 has a greasy feeling and is provided with a viscid secretion in 

 which insects are caught. In the greasy substance digestive 

 ferments are elaborated, and by means of these the bodies of 

 the insects are converted into food for the plant. Through 

 the rennet-like ferments secreted by their leaves butterworts, 



FIG. 185. Cancerroot. After Jellett in Afee/iati's Monthly. 



if placed in it, will curdle milk. They are actually thus em- 

 ployed in the domestic cheese-making of Lapland and north- 

 ern Scandinavia. 



Cancerroots, The broom-rapes, including plants known as 



cancerroots, beechdrops and squawroots, are represented in 



Minnesota by three, and probably more species. They may 



be regarded as derived from the cow-wheats and louseworts, 



26 



