Part 12

The methods adopted by the plant to ensure the fertilisation of its flowers by means of insect visitors are most elaborate and exact, but without the aid of diagrams they are a little difficult to explain. It is curious that no honey is contained in the spur. It is probably the cell sap in it that is attractive to insects.

The Marsh Orchis will be recognised by its spreading spotted leaves, hollow stem, the palm-shaped tubers of its root, and the thick spur to the flower.

ORCHIS LATIFOLIA. L.

The Marsh Orchis. L’Orchis à Feuilles Larges. Breitblättriges Knabenkraut.]

The Lady’s Slipper

(CYPRIPEDIUM CALCEOLUS)

This is one of the most striking plants of the Swiss flora, and while nowhere common is pretty widely distributed in the limestone districts of the Alps. It is a plant of some size, perhaps 12 to 24 inches in height, and grows in stony woods from the lower mountain region up to 6500 feet. One to three large yellow flowers are borne by each plant. Their method of fertilisation is of exceptional interest. Close to the attachment of the yellow slipper-shaped petal to the rest of the flower is a projection bearing on each side a stigmatic surface below and a mass of pollen above. The large yellow petal is smooth inside and has overhanging edges, rather like those of the familiar beetle-trap that is used for catching cockroaches, and as we shall see in a moment it acts in a similar manner. There is no honey in the flower, and it is not quite clear what the small bees that have been seen visiting it go there for. But at any rate when they once get in they have the greatest possible difficulty in getting out again, and only succeed in doing so by climbing up the attached side of the flower where the edges are not overhanging, that is on either side of the central projection. In doing this they are sure to brush first against the stigmatic surface, leaving behind some of the pollen they may chance to have sticking to them, and then against the viscid mass of pollen, some of which is sure to become attached to them. This process has been actually observed by Dr Herman Müller in the Alps.

The Lady’s Slipper Orchid is found also in the Jura, Tyrol, Dauphiny, Pyrenees, in certain parts of Central and Southern Germany, and even in the North of England. It is everywhere rather rare, but specially so in this country. It flowers in May and June, and is sure to be easily recognised, for there is no other plant in the least like it.

No doubt such names as the Lady’s Slipper, Lady’s Mantle, and Lady’s-Tresses refer to the dedication of the plant to the Virgin in mediæval times. The French name, “Sabot de Vénus,” refers to a very different personage. A comparison between the English, French, German, and the scientific names, for the last of which Linneus is responsible, is a good example of the way in which the goddess Venus and the Virgin Mary were often confounded with one another in the early days.

CYPRIPEDIUM CALCEOLUS. L.

The Lady’s-Slipper Orchid. Sabot de Vénus. Gemeiner Frauenschuh.]

The White Veratrum

(VERATRUM ALBUM)

The White Veratrum is a tall weed with large green leaves, very abundant in moist meadows and pastures in all parts of the Alps between 2000 and 6000 feet. Before the flowers appear it strongly suggests one of the larger Gentians, but the flowers, which come out in July and August, are quite different. It is a widely distributed plant, being found in Russia, Siberia, Lapland, as well as in most of the mountain ranges of Central and Southern Europe. It appears to have been left as a relic of the glacial period in the higher parts of Silesia and the Black Forest. The large green leaves are downy beneath, and the flowers, which are always green externally, may be pure white (var. typicum), or more commonly yellowish-green (var. Lobelianum), internally. Some would regard these two varieties as distinct species. The whole plant is extremely poisonous. Sometimes it is eaten by the sheep and goats with disastrous results to the herdsmen, but the cattle are wiser and rarely make this mistake. The poison is an alkaloid Veratrin, which is contained in largest quantities in the root from which it is extracted for medical purposes. If the root be tasted it will at first appear sweet, but its acrid, bitter flavour soon overpowers this first impression. The Swiss herdsmen look upon the White Veratrum as a noxious weed, not only because of its poisonous properties but also because it grows in the richest soil and robs the true fodder plants of nourishment. In the Jura, on the other hand, the farmers rather welcome it. They say that the shade of its large leaves preserves the grass for the cattle and prevents it becoming dried up by the scorching sun.

The White Veratrum will be easily recognised. Its nearest relative, the Black Veratrum (Veratrum nigrum), is a much rarer plant that grows in woods. It has reddish-black or chocolate flowers, which grow in large spikes like those of the plant here illustrated, but each individual flower has a relatively longer flower-stalk.

VERATRUM ALBUM. L.

The White Veratrum. Hellébore blanc ou Vératre blanc. Weisser Germer.]

Index

Abies pectinata, xi

Aconites, 6

Aconitum Anthora, 8 Lycoctonum, 8 Napellus, 6 paniculatum, 7

Alpenrose, the Hairy-leaved, 58 the Rusty-leaved, 58

Alpine anemone, 2 Aster, 44 Balsam, 68 Carline Thistle, 50 Clover, 22 Fleabane, 44 Honeysuckle, x Region, xii Rose, 32 Sainfoin, 28 Starwort, 44 Toad-flax, 66

Alps, xii

Altitude, x

Anemone alpina, 2 Narcissiflora, 2 nemorosa, 2 Pulsatilla, 2

Antennaria carpathica, 47 dioica, 46

Arnica montana, 48