A native orchid

This flower is a native orchid that exists in wetland areas of several southeastern states in the U.S.

Each purple and sometimes pink petal seems to resemble a dove flying upward.

Called Purple Fringeless Orchid, the two beautiful flowers shown here were a bit more than 3 feet tall.

I photographed them on July 3 in a swampy part of Duck Creek Conservation Area.

A single slender stem has several alternating swordlike leaves and sports one cluster of flowers at the top.

A butterfly was tending the flowers as I arrived, but it flew away before I could capture it on the flowers.