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: ■ 



li. The Showy Orchid 



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'\ 



' ; A GROUP of the beautiful showy 



^r ' orchids is shown in my full-page 



'% , S'-J^ / illustration. A favorite haunt for 

 C ' / these choice blossoms is the dark, 

 / damp, hemlock woods. Against this 

 background their deep pink hoods 

 and pure white lips stand out most 

 conspicuously, justifying fully the 

 flower's specific name of " spectabilis." 

 In the showy orchid we have what 

 would appear a clear adaptation to 

 ^_ the head of a bee, though one w^hich 

 mieht also avail of the service of an 

 occasional butterfly. An enlarged 

 view of the blossom is seen in 

 Fig. I, and in Fig. 2 a still greater 

 " enlargement of the column. 



I have seen many specimens with 

 the pollen masses withdrawn, and 

 others with their stigmas well cov- 

 ered wnth the grains. Though I have 

 never seen an insect at work upon it 

 in its haunt, the whole form of the 

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