WILD FLOWERS pink 



lar sepals, or coloured petal-like parts; two lateral, 

 or ear-like petals; and directly below these, a curious 

 third petal, which is generally conspicuously coloured, 

 and called the lip. The lip is always peculiarly formed, 

 and should be carefully noted. Sometimes it is shaped 

 like an inflated pouch, or a cornucopia, or a spur; 

 again it is broad, or long and narrow, and its edge is 

 finely fringed or bearded; or it may be flat or curved, 

 twice or thrice cleft, grooved, ridged, short or long, 

 extended or depressed, and so on. The leaves are all 

 sheathing, and have an entire margin. The Showy 

 Orchis is a beautiful, charming and one of the earliest 

 blooming species. It inhabits deep, rich, moist 

 woods, especially under hemlock trees, from April 

 to June, when it grows from four inches to a foot 

 in height. The single, thick, fleshy and five-angled 

 stem springs from between a pair of large, thick, 

 shining and clammy oblong leaves which are broadest 

 toward the bluntly tapered tips and narrowed into a 

 groove at the foot. From three to six fragrant, inch- 

 long flowers are clustered on the stalk, each with a 

 clasping leaflet and forming a short, loose, terminal 

 spike. The small, club-shaped sepals and petals look 

 much alike, and are curved together, forming a violet, 

 purple and white, or pink-tinted, pointed hood, 

 beneath which the large, thick, spreading, white lip 

 is prolonged into a blunt, flattened spur. The 

 flower-stem is noticeably twisted and the roots are 

 fleshy fibred. This species is our only true native 

 Orchid, and is found from New Brunswick to Ontario 



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