HARPER'S GUIDE TO WILD FLOWERS 



Painted Trillium 



T. undulztum. — This is the most striking of the genus. Flower, 

 peduncled, with 3 narrow sepals. Its long, white, wavy petals 

 are colored a deep, rich crimson in the middle, or lined with pur- 

 ple, and the upper part of the stem is brown. Fruit, a 3 -angled 

 red berry, 3 -celled, with several seeds in a cell, heaves, tapering 

 to a thick, broad petiole, with 3 prominent ribs running from 

 base to the sharp-pointed apex. May and June. 



Cold, moist woods, often found in bogs in the Northern 

 States, and in the mountains southward. Found over 5,000 

 feet high in Virginia. 



It is difficult to classify the trilliums by their color. They 

 partake of bright hues in their petals, seeming to delight in 

 strong, rich markings, often different colors being found 

 together. (See under Variegated Flowers, p. 374.) 



Nodding Wake Robin 



T. cernuum is white or pink, the petals, with wavy margins rolled 

 back, as long as the sepals. Anthers, long, on stout filaments. 

 Fruit, a crimson berry. Flower - stalk nods away from the in- 

 volucre of three broad, acutely pointed leaves. April to June. 



Moist woods, from Maine to Georgia, where it may be 

 found in the mountains. 



Colic-root. Star Grass 



Aletris farinbsa.. — Family, Lily. Color, white or yellowish. 

 A plant with many small, bell-shaped flowers terminating a tall, 

 leafless scape, 2 or 3 feet high, in a narrow raceme often nearly 

 a foot long. One or 2 bracts, longer than the pedicels, lie under 

 each flower. Stamens, 6, on short filaments. Style, 1, 3-divided 

 at the top. Leaves, thin, pale greenish yellow, lance-shaped, 

 clustered at the root. July and August. 



A special mealy look about the flowers has given this plant 

 its name, aletris, meaning a slave grinding corn. Along road- 

 sides, on the edges of dry woods, in sandy soil, this plant 

 grows from New England to Florida and in the mountains 

 of Virginia. 



Showy Lady's Slipper 



Cypripedium hirsutum. — Family, Orchis. Color of lip white, 

 varied with deep-pink stripes. Sepals, white, broad, roundish, 

 long. Leaves, large, dotted, numerous, pointed, ovate, with 

 strongly defined veins. June to September. 



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