WILD FLOWERS PINK 
lar sepals, or coloured petal-like parts; two lateral, 
or ear-like petals; and directly below these, a curious 
third petal, which is generally conspicuously coloured, 
and called the lip. The lip is always peculiarly formed, 
and should be carefully noted. Sometimes it is shaped ° 
like an inflated pouch, or a cornucopia, or a spur; 
again it is broad, or.long and narrow, and its edge is 
finely fringed or bearded; or it may be flat or curved, 
twice or thrice cleft, grooved, ridged, short or long, 
extended or depressed, and so on. ‘The leaves are all 
sheathing, and have an entire margin. The Showy 
Orchis is a beautiful, charming and one of the earliest 
blooming species. It inhabits deep, rich, moist 
woods, especially under hemlock trees, from April 
to June, when it grows from four inches to a foot 
in height. The single, thick, fleshy and five-angled 
stem springs from between a pair of large, thick, 
shining and clammy oblong leaves which are broadest 
toward the bluntly tapered tips and narrowed into a 
groove at the foot. From three to six fragrant, inch- 
long flowers are clustered on the stalk, each with a 
clasping leaflet and forming a short, loose, terminal 
spike. The small, club-shaped sepals and petals look 
much alike, and are curved together, forming a violet, 
purple and white, or pink-tinted, pointed hood, 
beneath which the large, thick, spreading, white lip 
is prolonged into a blunt, flattened spur. The 
flower-stem is noticeably twisted and the roots are 
fleshy fibred. ‘This species is our only érue native 
Orchid, and is found from New Brunswick to Ontario 
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