ORCHIS FAMILY 



ORCHIDACEAE 



GRASS PINK 



Calopogon pulchellus (Sw.) R. Br. 



This Orchid is the only member of its genus. The 

 generic name, from two Greek words meaning beautiful 

 beard, and the Latin specific name meaning beautiful, refer 



particularly to the lustrous fringe 

 on the lip of the flower. 



The Grass Pink grows in open 

 bogs and meadows from Newfound- 

 land to Florida, Minnesota and 

 Missouri. It is very rare in Illinois 

 but may be found occasionally in 

 small colonies in the northern part 

 of the state. 



The scape arises i-i>2 feet high 

 from a solid bulb and is sheathed 

 below by the base of the solitary 

 grasslike leaf. Below the leaf are 

 several scales. 



The raceme inflorescence has 



4-12 purplish pink flowers, each in 



the angle of a small bract. The 



lateral sepals are flat, curved and 



tapering, and the upper is narrower. 



The petals are lanceolate, obtuse and 



constricted at the middle. The 



broadly triangular lip is as though 



hinged at the base and is bearded 



along the upper side with yellow and 



purplish crimson hairs. The 2-celled anthers contain pollinia, 



and the column is about as long as the lip and 2-winged at the 



summit. The capsule is oblong and nearly erect. 



The Ragged Green Orchis, Habenaria Azivr^ (Michx.) R. Br., 

 also called Fringed Green Orchis, is a frequenter of swampy grounds, 

 wooded bogs or open swales from New England to Minnesota, south 

 to Georgia and Missouri. The stem bears several firm lanceolate 

 leaves, the upper gradually smaller and narrower. The 2-6-inch 

 spike is loosely .flowered. The yellowish green flowers are one-half 

 to three-quarters of an inch long and the lip is one-half inch long, 

 deeply 3-parted and narrowly fringed on each part. The spur of the 

 lip and the ovary are also one-half inch long. 



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