40 OUR NATIVE ORCHIDS 



bracts that grow at the base of the ovaries are longer than 

 they are at the lower part of the wand-like spike, but shorter 

 above. 



The small white flowers (Plate XVIII., Figs, i and 2) are 

 shaped as to sepals and petals exactly like the small green 

 ones of its closely resembling species. But they are fewer 

 than in the spike of the Tall Leafy Green Orchis, and the 

 throat is not so open nor the lip so spreading. The pollen 

 masses lie in parallel anther sacs and are attached by fila- 

 ments to two discs that are shaped very much like a pair 

 of human soles (Fig. 3). Between the anther sacs is the 

 stigma, with a trowel-shaped rostellum curving over it. 



The throat of the flower is a narrow chamber, and the 

 sole-shaped discs and stigma lie so close within that if an 

 insect thrusts its proboscis in, it cannot avoid getting one of 

 these sticking discs on its cheek. The little stems that attach 

 the pollen masses to the discs are very short and flat, and 

 do not, as far as Asa Gray observed, bend down on being 

 withdrawn. In fact they seem already to be bent into such 

 a position that they will touch the stigma of another flower 

 as soon as the bee enters it. 



Sometimes the anther cell opens early, as they do in the 

 preceding species, and the pollen masses fall out; but as far 

 as could be seen, they never could fall on the under surface 

 of their own stigma, consequently this plant must depend 

 upon insects to fertilise it. 



This orchis lives in cold, wet places and is found in the 

 mountains of New Hampshire at the height of 5,000 feet 



