


ORCHID FAMILY > 
»-. for coffee. The orris root of commerce is supplied by Jris florentina 
which has a fragrant root. The Iris is the Fleur-de-lis of France, 
which was for long the royal emblem. 
ORCHID FAMILY 
CoraL Root CORALLORHIZA MULTIFLORA 
Plate 43, fig. 2 
The Coral Root receives its name from the white branching roots 
that resemble coral. The plant is a saprophyte, that is, it gets its food 
ready-made from decaying matter, and this accounts for the lack of 
green foliage. The plants are entirely reddish-purple, though the 
flower-petals are white with purple dots. They grow 6 in.-1 it. tall, in 
spruce and fir woods at 7000-10000 ft. and bloom all summer. 
YELLOW LapiEs’ SLIPPER CyYPRIPEDIUM PUBESCENS 
Plate 43, fig. 3 
The botanical name for the Ladies’ Slipper comes from the Greek 
for “sock” or “buskin”, so that the fanciful resemblance of the flower 
to dainty footwear is indicated by both names. Though the sack-like 
lower petal of Yellow Ladies’ Slipper is a bright yellow, the other two 
petals and the sepals are yellow-green with reddish markings. The 
flowers occur singly on stems 8-20 in. tall, and bloom in early summer. 
They are found in meadows and aspen woodlands at 6000-9000 ft. 
RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN  PERAMIUM REPENS 
Plate 43, fig. 4 
The Rattlesnake Plantain receives this name because of its pecul- 
iarly mottled leaves which resemble those of a plantain in shape, but 
which have markings very like those of a snake. The tiny white blos- 
