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 ft. tall, in spruce and fir woods at 7000-10000 ft. and bloom all summer.

Yellow Ladies’ Slipper Cypripedium 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 peculiarly mottled leaves which resemble those of a plantain in shape, but which have markings very like those of a snake. The tiny white blossoms occur in crowded spikes on stems 2-8 in. tall and bloom in midsummer. The plants grow in fir and spruce woods at 9000-10000 ft.

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Plate 43

IRIS FAMILY

1 Blue-eyed Grass: Sisyrinchium angustifolium 5 Iris, Blue Flag: Iris missouriensis

ORCHID FAMILY

2 Coral Root: Corallorhiza multiflora 3 Yellow Ladies’ Slipper: Cypripedium pubescens 4 Rattlesnake Plantain: Peramium repens 6 Fairy Slipper, Calypso: Calypso borealis

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Fairy Slipper, Calypso Calypso borealis

Plate 43, fig. 6

The fairy-like rose-purple blossoms of Calypso appear in early spring. They occur singly on stems 4-8 in. tall, in fir and spruce woods at 7000-10000 ft. The name “Calypso” is that of a nymph of Grecian legend, and seems well fitted to this dainty plant.