22 SELECTED WESTERN FLORA 



1. S. angustifolium, Mill. 



Stems 1-12 in. high, stiff, glaucous, distinctly winged; flowers bright blue. 

 Moist prairie, Man.-Alta. 



2. S. septentrionaie, Bicknell. 



Resembles the preceding but very much smaller, with relatively larger 

 capsules. Moist prairie, Man.-Alta. 



3. S. mucron^tum, Michx. 



More tutted than S. angustifolium, and altogether naore slehder, with 

 narrower leaves and stem very slightly winged ; spathe often red or purple ; 

 bracts thin, the outer slender and much prolonged, enclosing the inner and 

 more scarous bracts at the base ; flowers deep blue. Man.-Alta. 



4. S. campestre, Bicknell. 



Resembling S. mucronktum but stifier, the stem not winged, the spathe 

 more one-sided ; flowers pale blue or white ; the outer bract not greatly pro- 

 longed, about twice the length of the inner, not clasping the other bracts at 

 the base. Prairies, S. Man. 



XVII. ORCHID ACE.ffi (Orchid Family). 



Perennial herbs with perfect but peculiarly irregular flowers. 

 Perianth usually of 6 divisions, but sometimes apparently only of 

 5, the three outer mostly of the same color and texture as the inner. 

 Of the inner divisions one called the lip differs from the others in 

 shape, and is frequently prolonged backwards into a spur. This 

 lip is really the upper petal, but in our spe6ies, owing to a half turn 

 in the pedicel or ovary, it appears to be the lower. Rising from the 

 base of the lip is the column, composed of one or two stamens, with 

 sometimes the rudiments of a third, variously joined to the style. 

 The anther, usually single, is 2-celled, each cell containing the pollen 

 masses or grains; stigma rough and sticky; fruit 1-celled with 3 

 valves. A very large family containing many beautiful flowers. 



1. CyPRIPfeDIUM. Lady's Slipper. 



Lip large and inflated; 2 fertile stamens, one on each side of the 

 column, and each bearing a 2-celled anther; pollen loose and 

 pulpy or granular, but not in masses. On the upper side of the 

 column there is a somewhat petal-like sterile stamen. Flowers 

 mostly solitary and showy. 



