no OUR NATIVE ORCHIDS 



The mechanism, though on such a tiny scale, is as per- 

 fect as it is microscopic, and it has its hosts of minute 

 winged guests for whom it secretes nectar, and who bear 

 away pollen masses and clap them to the stigma of other 

 blossoms, just as in the larger species which Darwin studied. 



3. SOUTHERN TWAYBLADE 



Listera australis Lindl. (Plates XLIL, XLIIL, Fig. 3.) 



This Twayblade has the decided characteristic of the 

 genus so markedly that it cannot be mistaken for either of 

 the other two. Its narrow lip is split nearly to the base, and 

 hangs out so much longer than the other minute sepals and 

 petals that it is almost all that is visible of the flower. 



The height of the plant is the same as of the other species, 

 running from four to ten inches. Its smooth, shining 

 leaves are ovate and rather sharply pointed. There are 

 also a tiny pair under an inch in length, very rarely ac- 

 companied by a third leaf just under the flowers. 



The infinitesimal flowers are olive purple and so small 

 that they are only one-quarter or one-eighth as long as the 

 half-inch divided lip, but they stand bravely out on the 

 somewhat downy flower stalk, waving their slit pennants in 

 the wind. 



It is a bog plant growing in New York and New Jersey, 

 and found as far south as Alabama and Louisiana. 



