VIII 



LISTERA 

 TWAYBLADE. (Plate XLII.) 



In the latter half of the seventeenth century lived a lover 

 of flow^ers, one Martin Lister, whose interest in science 

 might have brought him nothing but his own pleasure, had 

 not a small inconspicuous orchid been named after him. 

 If he ever published anything himself it has probably been 

 forgotten. All that is recorded of him is that he was a 

 correspondent of the English botanist Ray, and it Was 

 probably through this friendship that his name was given 

 to the genus of orchid which is popularly known as Tway- 

 blade. 



The genus Listera has only some ten species, which live 

 by preference in the arctic or temperate zones. Three grow 

 within our limit and one other in northwestern America. 



They are all small, sturdy, fresh little plants, rising 

 rather stoutly from fleshy fibrous roots and bearing mid- 

 way in their stalks a pair of very bright, crisp, oval leaves. 

 Between these ascends a flower stalk with a few small green- 

 ish purplish flowers, that scarcely attract any attention 

 from the passer-by, but have a definite attraction for certain 

 insects. So wise are the insects concerning the charms of 



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