-4- 
     
    
   
   
    
     sought, not only for its beauty, but also the distinctive and pleasing 
     
     odor of the blossoms. Little seed is formed on the Mayflower, as 
     
    

    
     it depends mostly on runners for reproduction. Like most of our 
     
     attractive wild flowers it should be gathered lightly or not at all. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Soon after the Mayflower, Violets make their appearance. Several 
     
     species are known in the province but the common ones are the Blue and 
     
     White. Violets prefer moist areas, often at the edge of streams or 
     
     ponds. The Blue Violet is the more common and showy, but the white 
     
     ones, like the Mayflower, have a more pleasing odor. 
     
    
   
   
    
     An early summer flower, common in the province but not too well 
     
     known, is yellow Clintonia or Blue Bead Lily. The greenish yellow 
     
     blooms, in clusters of three to six, rise from a group of three 
     
     bright green leaves at ground level. It is found in dry, mixed 
     
     woodland. In midsummer the seed capsules are very conspicuous and 
     
     resemble blue beads, hence the name. 
     
    
   
   
    
     False Lily-of-the valley should be known to everyone in spite 
     
     of its small size. The bloom resembles that of Lily-of—the-Valley 
     
     but is much smaller. The plants, four to six inches high, have two 
     
     shiny, heart shaped leaves and these are alternate on the stem 
     
     rather than opposite. It is very widespread in the province and is 
     
     often found along with Clintonia. Other names for this plant are 
     
     Canada Mayflower and Heart Leaf Lily. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Two species of Trillium are fanly cOmmon in the Province. The 
     
     Nodding Trillium may be easily overlooked, because of the almost 
     
     white blossoms are hidden below the three rather large leaves at the 
     
     top of the plant. Painted Trillium, on the other hand, is quite 
     
     showy and the white blooms, streaked with pink in the throat, are 
     
     easily seen. Trilliums are found in open, rich woodland featuring 
     
     mixed or hardwood stands. It is much better to enjoy the beauty 
     
     of Trillium in it's natural habitat rather than in a vase in your 
     
     living room. Both species are much less common in recent years and 
     
     they should have all the protection they can get. 
     
    
   
   
    
     P.E. Islander's floral emblem is the Pink Lady's Slipper, a 
     
     member of the Orchid family. The bloom features a large inflated 
     
     lower petal or lip, split along the top. This plant is variable, 
     
     not only in it's choice of living area, but in color as well. The 
     
     color ranges from white to deep pink and all shades may sometimes 
     
     be found in one plantation. It may be found in bog land, dry up- 
     
     land areas, and even in exposed locations near the coast. The 
     
     blossoms are borne on stems from six inches to a foot or more in 
     
     length, and the stems arise from a pair of two large, oval-shaped 
     
     leaves at ground level. Where Pink Lady's Slippers are found, 
     
     Clintonia and False Lily—of-the—Valley are almost sure to be 
     
     present also. Indications are that there are more Pink Lady's 
     
     Slippers in the province than there were thirty years ago. However, 
     
     this is no excuse for excessive gathering of the blooms. Enjoy 
     
     them when you find them, but leave them be so that others may share 
     
     your enjoyment. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Bruce MacLaren 
     
     Natural History Society of P.E.I 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Bonshaw Hills Trail 
     
    
   
   
    
     A problem arose at Appin Road 
     
     last Fall when a new house and a 
     
     mobile home were placed precisely 
     
     on the trail. An hour or two of 
     
     work re-routed the trail away from 
     
     the house.‘ Across the road, the 
     
     mobile home was sold and moved away. 
     
     Now, a minor re-routing by-passes 
     
     the lot. After consulting with the 
     
     property owners, enough remained of 
     
     the fine afternoon of April 9 for a 
     
     short snowshoe hike westward along 
     
     the trail. With 3 feet of snow in 
     
     the woods, it was a continuous. 
     
     problem to find the trail. This 
     
     section from Appin Road down to 
     
     Green's Brook is the only part that 
     
     had not been marked with paint. ’ I MIL: ' 
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     ' 30 H. TR‘ . 
     
     "'."'