THE ALPINE ORCHIDS 133 



THE ARNICA. 



Among the many Alpine Composites (natural 

 order Composite), the flowers of the Arnica (Arnica 

 montana, Linn.), of large size, and deep orange-yellow 

 colour, are quite common and unmistakable. The 

 roots and leaves of this plant contain a bitter 

 resinous substance, arnica, together with a volatile 

 oil which, in the form of a tincture, is made use of 

 medicinally, chiefly in connection with sprains and 

 bruises. 



The leaves are borne close to the ground in a 

 cross-shaped rosette, and from this springs a long 

 flower-stalk, bearing one to three flowers and one or 

 two pairs of opposite leaves. The flowers of the 

 disc are good objects for the study, by means of a 

 hand-lens, of the mechanism of the stylar brush 

 (p. 85). When the flowering stage is over, the long 

 ray florets all droop and hang vertically, and thus 

 the heads assume a very characteristic appearance. 



THE ALPINE ORCHIDS. 



The Orchids of the Swiss Alpine regions are very 

 numerous, and though the individual flowers are 

 generally rather small, they are arranged in an 

 extremely graceful manner, which entitles them to be 

 reckoned among the beauty plants of the Alps. The 

 most handsome of all the Swiss Orchids, with very 

 large flowers in comparison to the rest, the Lady's 

 Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus, Linn.), is not un- 



