310 Yellow to Orange Flowers 



form, of six distinct segments: outer ones lanceolate, obtuse; inner 

 ones narrower, acuminate, with four stout hyaline teeth at base, all 

 strongly revolute. 



A lovely yellow flower, frequently called " Snow Lily," 

 from the fact that it grows in such close proximity to the 

 great alpine neves. " Dog-tooth Violet " is yet another 

 name for this plant, and refers more particularly to the 

 white bulb, which is supposed to resemble the canine teeth 

 of a dog. 



Adder's Tongue probably refers to the pointed anthers, 

 which 'are six in number and extremely conspicuous ; but 

 " Snow Lily " is by far the more appropriate designation for 

 a blossom which appears at the edge of the avalanches and 

 follows the retreating line of the snow when the warm 

 spring sunshine melts the great white masses in the valleys 

 and sets the flowers free. At high altitudes you will often 

 see numbers of pale green pointed leaves forcing their way 

 up through the soft covering, and myriads of bright yellow 

 blossoms rising but a few inches above the thin carpet of 

 frozen crystals. From between two or three of these large 

 leaves (somewhat like those of the Lily-of -the- Valley) 

 springs the slender stalk, which terminates in a single bud, 

 or occasionally in a small raceme of drooping golden bells. 

 Soon the six pointed segments of the perianth unfold and 

 expand, gradually rolling backwards until they become com- 

 pletely recurved, leaving the whole length of the stamens 

 exposed. These segments, or floral leaves, are an exquisite 

 shade of yellow, softening to cream colour at the base in the 

 centre. The style bears at its summit a deeply three-cleft 

 stigma, each division thereof being also recurved. 



Great colonies of Yellow Adder's Tongues grow in the 

 mountains, where their faint fragrance scents the air with a 



