70 



NEW YORK STATIC MUSEUM 



Small Round-leaved Orchis 



Orchis rotund if alia Pursh 



Figure- VII 



Along with the Calypso, this 

 small orchis shares the distinction 

 of being the rarest wild flower of 

 the State. Its slender stem rises 

 to a height of 6 to 10 inches and 

 bears near the base a single oval 

 or orbicular leaf, I to 3 inches 

 long, with one or two scales 

 sheathing the stem below the leaf. 

 Flowers in a short terminal spike, 

 usually five to ten in number, each 

 flower subtended by a small green 

 bract. Sepals and petals oval, 

 rose-colored, the lateral sepals 

 spreading and usually slightly 

 shorter, but sometimes longer than 

 the petals; lip white, beautifully 

 spotted with purple, longer than 

 the petals, three-lobed, the middle 

 lobe larger, dilated and two-lobed 

 or notched at the apex; spur 

 slender, shorter than the lip or 

 barely equalling it in length. 



In damp, mossy woods, Green- 

 land to the Rocky mountains, 

 Maine, New York and Wisconsin. 

 The records of its occurrence in 

 this State are very few. It has 

 been found in Oneida, Herkimer and Lewis counties, but not in recent 



(Photograph by O. O. N'ylander) 



Figure VII 



Small Round-leaved Orchis 



(Orchis rotundifolia Pursh) 



