WILD FLOWERS white and greenish 



are everywhere conspicuous in thin, moist woods, 

 where they grow abundantly. They are found singly, 

 and in thick clusters, but generally in colonies which 

 are scattered over a considerable area, and slope after 

 slope is often whitened with masses of their delicate 

 blossoms. The single, slender, and juicy stalk springs 

 from a small, deeply seated, tuberous root. It grows 

 from six to twelve inches high, and is occasionally 

 branched. It is light green in colour, and is stained 

 with red. About midway from the ground, it bears 

 two long, narrow, dark green, grass-like leaves which 

 taper into short stems and unite oppositely with the 

 stalk. They have a distinct midrib, a smooth edge, 

 and are narrowed to a point. The stem and leaves 

 are thick and rubbery in texture, and the entire plant 

 becomes limp and forlorn almost as soon as it is picked. 

 The weak stalk usually assumes a crooked or ser- 

 pentine growth, and is frequently sprawled along the 

 ground. It is rather tough, and is more apt to break 

 at the root than above the ground when pulled. The 

 newly exposed part when pulled up is quite white, and 

 tapers toward the root. The nodding buds, which are 

 enclosed in a two-parted calyx, are borne on short, 

 slender stems in a loose terminal cluster, and open a 

 few at a time. The flowers are less than an inch broad 

 when fully expanded, and are known, botanically, as 

 seciind flowers — that is, they are all borne on one 

 side of the stem. The five oval, fine-textured petals 

 are notched at the apex. They are white with fine 

 veinings of pink, or often a beautiful pink with darker 



223 



