Family

Orchis.

Colour

Pink, variegated with yellow.

Odour

Scentless.

Range

Northern latitudes.

Time Of Bloom

May.

Flowers: large; terminal; solitary; drooping. The sepals and petals narrow and pointed; the lip inflated, sac-shaped; within woolly. Leaves: one only; slightly roundish, cordate at base; on a petiole sheathing the stem; thin. Root: a bulb.

It is when we least expect to find this lovely flower that some silken thread will probably guide us to its hiding place deep down in some mossy bog. It is very shy, very tremulous, and having feasted our eyes upon it we would fain creep away as softly as we came.