ORCHID FAMILY. Orchidaceas. 



drawn together with the pollinia which are ah-eady 



attached to it at the back. When the flower first opens 



the tube or passage between the rostellum and the lip is 



exceedingly narrow, hence, the former is easily ruptured 



by visitors. Later the space widens as the column 



topped by the rostellum moves upward in the maturer 



development of the flower. As a consequence, only 



those flowers which are mature are sufficiently open for 



the insect to reach the stigma and thereon leave the 



pollen of a younger flower. The name is from the 



Greek, for coil and flower, alluding to the spiral growth 



of the flowers. 6-24 inches high ; not more than 9 



inches in nortliern N. H. In wet meadows and grassy 



swamps. Me., south, and west to Minn, and Neb. 



A slender and tall species with grasslike 



rass= eave \^a-lit green leaves, and a leafy stem bear- 

 Ladies Tresses o & ' 



Spiranthes hig a much twisted flower-spike of yellow- 



pra'cox white spreading blossoms. The lateral 



Yellowish sepals free, the upper one closely con- 



y ' ^^ ^ nected w^th the two petals, the lip often 



July-August ^ . , ^^ 



dark-striped. 10-80 inches high. In moist 



grassy places. Mass. and southern N. Y. , south and 



southwest to La. 



An exceedingly slender and tall species, 

 Slender Ladies' ^, ^Z ,, u i • 



Tresses smooth or rarely woolly above, bearing 



SjjintHthes small withering bracts or leaflets along the 

 gracilis flower-stem which is terminated by a very- 



Cream white niuch twisted cluster of very many slender 

 October flowers, translucent cream white, and very 



fragrant. The odor of Spiranthes is pe- 

 culiarly aromatic, reminiscent of the horse-chestnut, but 

 remarkably sweet. The sepals of the flower are a little 

 longer than the lip, which is greenish above with white 

 margins. The ovate leaves at the root, wither before the 

 flowers bloom. Visited by the bumblebee {Bombtis 

 Americanor'um) and the small bee, Calliojisis andreni- 

 formis (Prof. Robertson). 10-22 inches high. Common 

 in dry situations, in pastures, fields, and half- wooded 

 liillsides. Me., south, and west to Minn, and Kan. It 

 is rare in central N. H., where S. cernua is plentiful. 



74 



