12 OUR NATIVE ORCHIDS 



The most appropriate home of Cypripedium regincB is 

 in the Adirondacks, where the sun-dew spreads its jewelled 

 crimson leaves, where the tall royal flowering fern stands 

 as its water guard, and where the hemlocks leave sunny 

 spaces between their branches for the light to shine on the 

 fluttering blossoms. 



The plants begin to bloom in June, the earliest being 

 found in Connecticut about the middle of the month, and in 

 the Adirondacks and White and Green Mountains in 

 July, while they are occasionally seen as late as 

 September. 



The tall stem is round and covered with fine hairs that 

 droop on the upper part, but are bristly below. It stands 

 erect, clasped hand over hand by sheathing leaves, until just 

 below the flower stalk where there is a slight bend that gives 

 the flowers their characteristic poise. The leaves are broad 

 and oval, measuring from three to seven inches long, and 

 narrowing with the hair}' covered veins to a sharp point. 

 Their margins have strong, wavy curves, and their colouring 

 is a rich brilliant green, a little lighter on the under side than 

 on the upper. 



A smaller leaf serves as a bract for the flower and stands 

 erect above the drooping blossom. What appears to be the 

 stalk of the flower above this bract is the swollen, fine-ribbed, 

 curved ovary that looks like a miniature squash or cucumber. 



The blossom looks as though it had four white petals 

 and a pouch. But the large oval banner that stands erect 

 about the pouch is one of the three sepals, the other two 



