SOME ATTRACTIVE NATIVE PLANTS. 



515 



ment in the garden. They are low and comparatively 

 inconspicuous plants, but none the less interesting. The 

 species represented in fig. 7 (page 517), IJparis UliifoUa , 

 has dull brown-purple interesting flowers, and is worth 

 cultivating. All the orchids mentioned in this article are 

 now to be had from dealers in native plants. 



Another interesting class of plants is the dicentra 

 miliar to everyone in the popular bleeding-heart. Seven 

 or eight species occur in this country, two of which are 

 common and well known in the east. These two are the 

 white and tinted-flowered Dutchman's-breeches. Dicen- 

 tra ciicullaria (fig. 5, page 516) and squirrel-corn. D. 

 Canadensis. These are among our ear- 

 liest and best spring flowers. They 

 spring up in old fence-rows and on the 

 borders of woods, appearing in tufts of 



he who has made its acquaintance pulls aside the leaves 

 and finds the chocolate-brown, thimble-like flowers lying 

 upon the ground, sometimes almost covered by dead 

 leaves. I know of no plant which is a greater surprise 

 to the casual observer than this when its hidden flowers 



Fig 4.— Small Yellow Lady's-slipper (Cypripedi 



finely cut fern-like foliage 

 and nodding racemes of 

 heart-like flowers. The roots 

 are bulbous, and they are 

 transferred to the garden 

 with the greatest ease. Close- 

 ly allied to these plants is 

 the native smoke - vine, or 

 Alleghany - v i n e (Adltimia 

 ( /;v-//o5a), a biennial climber 

 of finest texture and pinkish 

 flowers like those of the 

 bleeding-heart. 



Another curious and inter- 

 esting plant is the asarum. 

 or wild-ginger, which grows in low, thick clumps in rich 

 woods. One unfamiliar with the plant sees only a mat 

 of broad velvety leaves standing close to the ground, but 



Fig. 3,— Purple Orchis. 



{Habcnari.i fmbriata). 



are brought to view, and it is worth growing for this cur- 

 ious feature alone. I once found a mat of the asarum 

 with variegated leaves, and it was transferred to the 

 garden. Fig. 6 (page 517) shows a sprig of the common 

 .Isaritm Canadense, but it gives little idea of the char- 

 acter of the plant as seen in its wild colonies. 



A more delicate plant than any which we have yet de- 

 scribed is the small miterwort [Mitella nuda), which is 

 shown natural size in fig. 8 (page 518). It grows in peaty 

 bogs or deep woods, lending a peculiar starry charm to 

 the moss in which it usually grows. A more familiar 

 plant is the large miterwort, which grows in sunnier 

 places, is much larger, and has two leaves midway it? 

 stem, while the stems of the smaller species are leafless 

 or occasionally have a small leaf near the base, as in the 

 illustration. Both the miterworts are offered by dealers 

 in native plants, and both are worth the care of growing 

 for the sake of the small fringed flowers. 



