I have seen, gives any definite clue. I must conclude, as does Henry in his
book on Western Canadian Flora, that it was named from some Russian
botanist. A Siberian species is quite well known.

One of our most showy and beautiful plants, an illustration of which
accompanies this article, has been called the vulgar name of “Skunk Weed”.
However, the rose, by any other name
is said to smell as sweet, and this plant.
scorning such an insulting insinuation,
blooms in real beauty on Beaver
Mountain, one of the peaks forming
the Hope Mountains. It is found, too,
on Gentian Ridge, (Garibaldi).

Its proper name is Polemonium con-
fertum A Gray. Its yong, yellow
exerted stamens, thrown against its
violet-blue corolla, at once proclaim it
as one of our most strikingly beautiful
wild flowers. Its long roots are cov-
ered with a rafhia-like binding, and
from the centre of its maiden-hair-like
cluster of leaves, springs its bunch of
glorious flowers. Many lovers of the
beautiful have tried to cultivate this gem in their rock-gardens, but with
little success, and I regret to say that it is becoming scarce on Garibaldi.

THE SKUNK WEED

An English botanist, Lloyd, has given his name to an Arctic lly: Lloydia
serotina Reich. At first sight it could be mistaken for a snowdrop, but all
doubts are dispersed as we note the greenish veins of its sepals and petals.
It was formerly found on Mount Snowdon, and Gerard made, in the early
days, a special trip to observe it.

It was found, too, by a small party who visited Mount Waleach, (a name
which means cold water), in August of 1923. It also occurs in India amid
the Himalaya Mountains, where its coloring varies from white to a primrose-
yellow. According to the great botanist, Hooker, it is an extremely rare plant.
Besides the location of Mt. Waleach, I know of no other record for B. C.

Many of us are acquainted with at
least some of our rare orchids. One
which is rarely to be seen in B. C. is
Epipactis gigantea Dougl. This plant
was noted on the shores of Cultus Lake
flourishing under the protection of
some shrubs. It appears to have a wide
range, being found from Texas to
California and north to Washington
in the United States. Besides being
noted at Cultus Lake, it is to be found
in the neighborhood of Osoyoos, in
Canada. Mature plants vary from one
to three feet in height. Its flowers
are of a greenish hue, veined with
purple, a combination at once striking.
It courts a damp situation and thrives
best under the shelter of shrubs or
ferns.

One other little known orchid is
Corallorhiza striata Lindl. The seg-
ments of its flowers are of a brownish-
purple shade marked with darker
purple veins. It is recorded from Point
Roberts and Boundary Bay. Because of
its much branched roots resembling
EPIPACTIS GIGANTEA coral it is commonly called the coral-
root.

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