YELLOW AND ORANGE WILD FLOWERS 
six or eight inches below the surface. The plant 
is complete with two, flat, fleshy, long, pointed oval, 
pale green leaves of unequal length. They are smooth 
and shiny, and are generally marbled with dull reddish 
or purplish markings. At first, one might think that 
the stained effect was produced by frost. This mot- 
tled effect of the leaves suggests the appearance of a 
snake’s skin, and the pipe-like flower extending 
‘therefrom, is supposed to justify the name of Yellow 
Adder’s Tongue. In some localities, where the earliest 
trout fishing is eagerly sought, this delightful spring 
beauty is popularly known as the Trout Lily, and its 
speckled leaves and blossoms are heralded as a signal 
that another speckled beauty, the brook trout, has 
appeared. The erect, ear-like appearance of the two 
leaves, together with their peculiar markings, caused 
John Burroughs to christen this plant the Fawn Lily. 
The flowers and leaves begin to wilt almost as soon 
as they are picked. The former revive nicely when 
placed in water, but the leaves are slower in recovering 
the shock. Soon after the flowering season, the leaves 
begin to fade, and by July scarcely a trace of them is 
to be seen. This species is found scattered in groups 
and colonies in abundance from Nova Scotia to Ontario 
and Minnesota, south to Florida, Missouri and Arkan- 
sas, during March, April, and May. Somewhat far- 
ther west it is replaced by a similar species with nar- 
rower and less mottled leaves, and white or pinkish- 
white flowers, that are not commonly found eastward. 
The pistil has three short, spreading tips, or stigmas. 
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