ORCHIDACEAE 



ORCHIS FAMILY 



PUTTYROOT. ADAM AND EVE 



Aplrctrnm liycmale (Muhl.) Torr. 



This plant arises from a corm, attached to a second 

 one which will give rise to the next year's plant. This 

 attachment accounts for the name Adam and Eve, and 

 the name Puttyroot refers to 

 the consistency of the corms. 



This Orchid is found in rich 

 woods from Vermont to Sas- 

 katchewan and Oregon, south to 

 Georgia, Missouri and California. 

 It is rare in Illinois, having so far 

 been recorded less than a dozen 

 times, and then as isolated plants 

 from widely separated parts of the 

 state. 



The flowering stem is i-2 feet 

 high and usually bears 3 scales but no 

 leaves. A single thick and dull green 

 basal leaf is produced in late season 

 and when fully grown is oblong-ovate 

 and y^ inches in length. It lies all 

 winter on the ground attached to the 

 plant, and by spring the underside has 

 assumed an exquisite reddish purple hue. 

 Before the new flower stalk begins to grow, 

 the leaf disappears. 



The flowers, blooming in May or June, 

 are dull yellowish brown mixed with 

 purple. The 3 sepals and the lateral petals 



are quite similar, linear-lanceolate and about one-halt inch long. 

 The oblong lip is somewhat shorter than the other petals, blunt, 

 barely 3-lobed and with its margin fringed. The column is shorter 

 than the lip and slightly curved. The oblong-ovoid capsule is 

 angled and a little less than i inch long. 



A pale, pure yellow form of this plant is sometimes tound, :ind 

 may be growing along with the spotted. 



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