NATIVE WILD FLOWERS 



From a round solid conn, about a quarter of an inch in 

 diameter, rises a bright green sword-shaped leaf, which 

 clasps at its base a tall scape bearing a loose four to eight- 

 flowered raceme of elegant rose or lilac-colored flowers. 

 The lower blossoms open first. The form of the flower is 

 peculiar: the concave upper petal or lip is bearded with 

 yellow and purple hairs arching over the column, which is 

 winged and free; the bright reddish-purple sepals and 

 petals are pointed and fragrant; the scape rises to the 

 height of from eighteen inches to two feet. A bed of these 

 elegant flowers when in bloom is a charming sight. 



Another of our Orchids is the lovely and rare Arethusa 

 bulbosa (L.), the flower of which is no less remarkable for 

 the beauty of its form and rich coloring than the Calopogon. 

 The color of the ringent corolla is of a deep rich rose-purple, 

 and it is very sw^eetly scented; the scape has occasionally 

 one grassy leaf. Not less singular is the charming Calypso 

 borealis (Salisb.), or Bird's-foot Orchis, with its grace- 

 ful, deliciously-scented pendulous flowers and crested lip, 

 bearded with yellow and pink, and its narrow, twisted and 

 waved pale pink sepals and petals; the scape is garnished 

 with one oval shield-shaped shining leaf of dark glossy 

 green. It flowers in the month of May. 



Another elegant bog-plant is the 



SMALL ROUND-LEAVED ORCHIS Platanthera rotundifolia 



(Eich.). 



" Your voiceless lips, O flowers, are living preachers ; 

 Each cup a pulpit, and each leaf a book. 



" Floral apostles that in dewy splendor 



Weep without woe and blush without a crime." 



Horace Smith. 



This is one of the lovely native plants of the Orchis 

 family, of which we boast many remarkable for beauty as 



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