Cypripedium
Encyclopedia
Cypripedium is a genus
of 47 species of lady's-slipper orchids
native to temperate and colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere
.
Some grow in the tundra
in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when the snow melts. But, in the wild, most have become rare and close to extinction, due to an ever shrinking natural habitat and overcollection. In the late 20th century, only a single plant of Cypripedium calceolus
survived in Britain.
Common names include slipper orchid, lady's slipper, mocassin flower, camel's foot, squirrel foot, steeple cap, Venus' shoes and whippoorwill shoe.
An abbreviation used in trade journals is 'Cyp'.
The genus has a long history of use, dating back 2500 years to the Far East, where they were used medicinally.
is short and robust, growing in the uppermost soil layer. The rhizome grows annually with a growth bud at one end and dies off at the other end. The stem
grows from the bud at the tip of the rhizome. Most slipper orchids have an elongate erect stem, with leaves
growing along its length. But the Mocassin Flower (Cypripedium acaule
) has a short underground stem with leaves springing from the soil. The often hairy leaves can vary from ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, folded along their length. The stems lack pseudobulb
s.
The inflorescence
is racemose
. It can carry one to twelve flower
s, as in Cypripedium californicum
. But most species have one to three flowers. There are three sepal
s, with, in most species, the two lateral ones more or less fused. The flower has three acute petal
s with the third a striking slipper-shaped lip, which is lowermost. The sepals and the petals are usually similarly colored, with the lip in a different color. But variations on this theme occur. The aspect of the lip of different species can vary a great deal. As with all orchids, it is specially constructed to attract pollinator
s. The flowers show a column
with a unique shieldlike staminode. The ovary
is 3-locular (with three chambers).
) are probably the first diverging line. They share several similarities with their sister group Selenipedium
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of 47 species of lady's-slipper orchids
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
native to temperate and colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
.
Some grow in the tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when the snow melts. But, in the wild, most have become rare and close to extinction, due to an ever shrinking natural habitat and overcollection. In the late 20th century, only a single plant of Cypripedium calceolus
Cypripedium calceolus
Cypripedium calceolus is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus Cypripedium.It is a widespread plant worldwide, found from Europe east through Asia to the Pacific Ocean. It is found in open woodland on moist calcareous soils. It is found in continental Europe growing in the...
survived in Britain.
Common names include slipper orchid, lady's slipper, mocassin flower, camel's foot, squirrel foot, steeple cap, Venus' shoes and whippoorwill shoe.
An abbreviation used in trade journals is 'Cyp'.
The genus has a long history of use, dating back 2500 years to the Far East, where they were used medicinally.
Characteristics
As with most terrestrial orchids, the rhizomeRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
is short and robust, growing in the uppermost soil layer. The rhizome grows annually with a growth bud at one end and dies off at the other end. The stem
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
grows from the bud at the tip of the rhizome. Most slipper orchids have an elongate erect stem, with leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
growing along its length. But the Mocassin Flower (Cypripedium acaule
Cypripedium acaule
Cypripedium acaule is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as lady's slipper orchids. First described in 1700, C. acaule is commonly referred to as the Pink Lady's Slipper, Stemless Lady's-slipper, or Moccasin Flower...
) has a short underground stem with leaves springing from the soil. The often hairy leaves can vary from ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, folded along their length. The stems lack pseudobulb
Pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.It applies to the orchid family , specifically certain groups of epiphytic orchids, and may be single or composed of several internodes with evergreen or deciduous leaves along its length.In some species, it is...
s.
The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is racemose
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
. It can carry one to twelve flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, as in Cypripedium californicum
Cypripedium californicum
The California Lady's Slipper is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium, the Lady's Slipper orchids. It is native to the western United States, where it has a very restricted range and can only be found in the mountains of southwestern Oregon , and northern California...
. But most species have one to three flowers. There are three sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, with, in most species, the two lateral ones more or less fused. The flower has three acute petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s with the third a striking slipper-shaped lip, which is lowermost. The sepals and the petals are usually similarly colored, with the lip in a different color. But variations on this theme occur. The aspect of the lip of different species can vary a great deal. As with all orchids, it is specially constructed to attract pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s. The flowers show a column
Column (botany)
The column, or technically the gynostemium, is a reproductive structure that can be found in several plant families: Aristolochiaceae, Orchidaceae, and Stylidiaceae....
with a unique shieldlike staminode. The ovary
Ovary (plants)
In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...
is 3-locular (with three chambers).
Synonymy
The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Cypripedium:
|
Taxonomy
Comparison between a DNA-analysis and the morphological characteristics in this genus has shown that there is a high degree of divergence between the two, probably due to long periods of isolation or extinction of intermediate forms. The Eurasian species with yellow or red flowers form a distinct group from the North American species with yellow flowers. The Pelican Orchid (Cypripedium irapeanum) and the California Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium californicumCypripedium californicum
The California Lady's Slipper is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium, the Lady's Slipper orchids. It is native to the western United States, where it has a very restricted range and can only be found in the mountains of southwestern Oregon , and northern California...
) are probably the first diverging line. They share several similarities with their sister group Selenipedium
Selenipedium
Selenipedium is a genus of the Orchid family . The genus has been given its own tribe, Selenipedieae, and subtribe, Selenipediinae...
.
Species and natural hybrids
There are approximately 356 species in this genus, including:- Cypripedium acauleCypripedium acauleCypripedium acaule is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as lady's slipper orchids. First described in 1700, C. acaule is commonly referred to as the Pink Lady's Slipper, Stemless Lady's-slipper, or Moccasin Flower...
: Mocassin Flower, Pink Lady's-Slipper,Two-leaved Lady's-slipper (C. and E. Canada, NC & E U.S.A) - Cypripedium agnicapitatum (Manchuria)
- Cypripedium × alaskanum (C. guttatum × C. yatabeanum; Alaska)
- Cypripedium × andrewsii (C. candidum × C. parviflorum var. pubescens) (E Canada, NC & NE U.S.A)
- Cypripedium arietinumCypripedium arietinumThe rare Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper is an orchid that is native to the alvars around the Great Lakes in North America.The plant grows to 10-40 cm , and the flowers may reach 1-2 cm...
: Ram's-head Lady's-slipper (C & E Canada, NC & NE U.S.A) - Cypripedium bardolphianum (China)
- Cypripedium bardolphianum var. bardolphianum (China)
- Cypripedium bardolphianum var. zhongdianense (China)
- Cypripedium calceolusCypripedium calceolusCypripedium calceolus is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus Cypripedium.It is a widespread plant worldwide, found from Europe east through Asia to the Pacific Ocean. It is found in open woodland on moist calcareous soils. It is found in continental Europe growing in the...
(Yellow Lady's-Slipper, Woodpecker nuksack; Europe to Japan) - Cypripedium calcicolum (China)
- Cypripedium californicumCypripedium californicumThe California Lady's Slipper is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium, the Lady's Slipper orchids. It is native to the western United States, where it has a very restricted range and can only be found in the mountains of southwestern Oregon , and northern California...
(California Lady's-Slipper; Oregon, N. California) - Cypripedium candidumCypripedium candidumCypripedium candidum, also known as Small White Lady's Slipper or White Lady's Slipper, is a rare orchid of the Cypripedium genus. It is found in wet prairies and fens, in rich, highly calcareous soils, sedge meadow edges, calcareous roadside and railway ditches. Cypripedium candidum grows to a...
(Small White Lady Slipper; SE Canada, NC & E U.S.A) - Cypripedium × catherinae (C. macranthon × C. shanxiense; Russian Far East)
- Cypripedium cheniae (China)
- Cypripedium × columbianum (C. montanum × C. parviflorum var. pubescens; W Canada, NW U.S.A)
- Cypripedium cordigerum (Heart-Lip Lady's-slipper; N Pakistan to Himalaya, S Tibet)
- Cypripedium daweishanense (S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu) S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu (2005) (Yunnan, China South-Central)
- Cypripedium debile (Frail Lady's-slipper) (Japan, Taiwan, China)
- Cypripedium dickinsonianumCypripedium dickinsonianumCypripedium dickinsonianum is a species of orchid....
(Mexico (S Chiapas) to Guatemala) - Cypripedium elegansCypripedium elegansCypripedium elegans is a lady's-slipper species in the genus Cypripedium found in Nepal and China....
(E Nepal to China) - Cypripedium fargesii (China)
- Cypripedium farreri (China)
- Cypripedium fasciculatumCypripedium fasciculatumCypripedium fasciculatum is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as Lady's Slipper orchids....
(Brownie Lady's-slipper, Clustered Lady's-slipper; W U.S.A) - Cypripedium fasciolatum (China)
- Cypripedium flavumCypripedium flavumThe Yellow Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Yellow Lady's-slipper; SE Tibet, SC China) - Cypripedium formosanumCypripedium formosanumThe Formosa's Lady's Slipper or Beautiful Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Formosa Lady's-Slipper; C Taiwan) - Cypripedium forrestii (China)
- Cypripedium franchetiiCypripedium franchetiiThe Franchet's Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Franchet's Lady's-slipper; C & SC China) - Cypripedium froschii (China)
- Cypripedium guttatumCypripedium guttatumThe Spotted Lady's Slipper is a species of orchid....
(Spotted Lady's-Slipper; European Russia to Korea, Alaska to Yukon) - Cypripedium henryiCypripedium henryiThe Henry's Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Henry's Lady's-slipper; C China) - Cypripedium x herae . (C.parviflorum x C.reginae) (Manitoba, Canada)
- Cypripedium himalaicum (SE Tibet to Himalaya)
- Cypripedium irapeanumCypripedium irapeanumThe Irapeao's Cypripedium or Pelican Orchid is a species of orchid....
(Pelican Orchid, Irapeao Lady's-slipper; Mexico to Honduras) - Cypripedium japonicumCypripedium japonicumThe Japan Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Japan Lady's-slipper; China, Korea, Japan) - Cypripedium kentuckienseCypripedium kentuckienseCypripedium kentuckiense or Kentucky Lady's Slipper is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as Lady's Slipper orchids....
(Kentucky Lady's-Slipper, Southern Lady's-Slipper; C & E U.S.A) - Cypripedium lentiginosum (China)
- Cypripedium lichiangense S.C.Chen & P.J.Cribb (China (SW Sichuan, NW Yunnan), NE Myanmar)
- Cypripedium lichiangense var. daweishanense S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu (now synonym of Cypripedium daweishanense (S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu) S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu 2005)
- Cypripedium ludlowii (SE Tibet)
- Cypripedium macranthosCypripedium macranthosThe Large-flowered Cypripedium is a species of orchid....
(Large-flowered Lady's-slipper; E Belarus to temperate E Asia) - Cypripedium malipoense S.C.Chen & Z.J.Liu (Yunnan, China South-Central)
- Cypripedium margaritaceum (Pearl-white Lady's-slipper; China)
- Cypripedium micranthum (China)
- Cypripedium molle (Mexico)
- Cypripedium montanumCypripedium montanumCypripedium montanum is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium. It is commonly known as the Large Lady's Slipper, Mountain Lady's Slipper, White Lady's Slipper as well as Moccasin Flower. This latter is also the common name of Cypripedium acaule.-Description:C...
(Large Lady's-slipper, Mountain Lady's-slipper, White Lady's-slipper, Moccasin flower; Alaska to California) - Cypripedium morinanthum (Manchuria)
- Cypripedium neoparviflorum (Manchuria)
- Cypripedium palangshanense (China)
- Cypripedium parviflorumCypripedium parviflorumCypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as Yellow Lady's Slipper or Mocassin Flower is a Lady's Slipper orchid found in North America.-External links:* * , Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador...
Salisb. (Canada, E U.S.A)- Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum (Canada, E U.S.A.)
- Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens (Yellow Lady's-slipper; N. America; rhizome geophyte)
- Cypripedium passerinumCypripedium passerinumCypripedium passerinum is a species of lady's slipper orchid known by the common names sparrow's-egg lady's-slipper, spotted lady's-slipper, and Franklin's lady's-slipper. It is native to northern North America, where it occurs in Alaska and much of western and central Canada, its distribution...
(Franklyn's Lady's-slipper, Small White Northern Lady's-slipper, Sparrow's Egg Lady's-slipper; Alaska to Canada, Montana) - Cypripedium plectrochilum (N Myanmar to SC China)
- Cypripedium pubescensCypripedium pubescensCypripedium pubescens is a yellow lady's-slipper orchid native to northern North America....
(Greater yellow lady's-slipper) - Cypripedium reginaeCypripedium reginaeThe Showy Lady's-slipper , also known as the Pink-and-white Lady's-slipper or the Queen's Lady's-slipper, is a rare terrestrial temperate lady's-slipper orchid native to northern North America....
Walter : Large White Lady's-slipper, Queen's Lady's-slipper, Showy Lady's-slipper; C & E Canada, NC & E. U.S.A) - Cypripedium roseum (Manchuria)
- Cypripedium rubronerve (China)
- Cypripedium segawai (EC Taiwan)
- Cypripedium shanxiense (China to N Japan)
- Cypripedium sichuanense (China)
- Cypripedium sinapoides (Manchuria)
- Cypripedium subtropicum (SE. Tibet)
- Cypripedium taibaiense (China)
- Cypripedium tibeticumCypripedium tibeticumCypripedium tibeticum is a species of orchid....
(Sikkim to C China) - Cypripedium × ventricosum (Russia to Korea)
- Cypripedium wardii (SE. Tibet, China)
- Cypripedium × wenqingiae (C. farreri × C. tibeticum; China)
- Cypripedium wumengense (China)
- Cypripedium yatabeanum (Russian Far East to N & NC Japan, Aleutian Islands to SW Alaska)
- Cypripedium yunnanense (SE Tibet, China)