Lady's Slipper
Encyclopedia
Lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids are the orchid
s in the subfamily Cypripedioidea, which includes the genera
Cypripedium
, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum
, Phragmipedium
and Selenipedium
. They are characterised by the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellum
s) of the flower
s – the pouch traps insects so they are forced to climb up past the staminode
, behind which they collect or deposit pollinia
, thus fertilizing the flower.
This subfamily has been considered by some to be a family Cypripediaceae, separate from the Orchidaceae
.
The subfamily Cypripedioideae is monophyletic and consists of five genera. Their common features are two fertile diandrous (that is, with two perfect stamen
s) anthers, a shield-shaped staminode
and a saccate (sac-shaped) lip
.
The Cypripedium genus is found across much of North America
, as well as in parts of Europe
and Asia
. The state flower of Minnesota
is the Showy Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium reginae
). The Lady's Slipper is also the official provincial flower of Prince Edward Island
, a province of Canada
.
Paphiopedilums are found in the tropical forests of southeast Asia
reaching as far north as southern China
. Paphiopedilum is quite easy to cultivate and therefore is popular among orchid enthusiasts. In fact, overcollecting of this genus has caused some problems in its original habitat.
Phragmipedium, found across northern South and Central America, is also easy to cultivate as it requires lower temperature
s than Paphiopedilum, eliminating the need for a greenhouse
in many areas.
The lady's slipper is also known in the United States of America as the moccasin
flower, from its resemblance to a shoe or moccasin.
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,...
s in the subfamily Cypripedioidea, which includes the genera
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...
Cypripedium
Cypripedium
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...
, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum
Paphiopedilum
The paphiopedilums – often abbreviated Paph and colloquially known as paphs in horticulture – are flowering plants in the orchid family . It contains about 80 accepted species nowadays, some of which are natural hybrids...
, Phragmipedium
Phragmipedium
Phragmipedium is a genus of the Orchid family and the only genus comprised in the tribe Phragmipedieae and subtribe Phragmipediinae. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek phragma, which means "division", and pedium, which means "slipper" . It is abbreviated 'Phrag' in trade journals...
and Selenipedium
Selenipedium
Selenipedium is a genus of the Orchid family . The genus has been given its own tribe, Selenipedieae, and subtribe, Selenipediinae...
. They are characterised by the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
s) of the 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 – the pouch traps insects so they are forced to climb up past the staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
, behind which they collect or deposit pollinia
Pollinium
Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant.They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds .Most orchids have waxy pollinia...
, thus fertilizing the flower.
This subfamily has been considered by some to be a family Cypripediaceae, separate from the Orchidaceae
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,...
.
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s) anthers, a shield-shaped staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
and a saccate (sac-shaped) lip
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
.
The Cypripedium genus is found across much of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, as well as in parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The state flower of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
is the Showy Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium reginae
Cypripedium reginae
The 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....
). The Lady's Slipper is also the official provincial flower of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, a province of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Paphiopedilums are found in the tropical forests of southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
reaching as far north as southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Paphiopedilum is quite easy to cultivate and therefore is popular among orchid enthusiasts. In fact, overcollecting of this genus has caused some problems in its original habitat.
Phragmipedium, found across northern South and Central America, is also easy to cultivate as it requires lower temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
s than Paphiopedilum, eliminating the need for a greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
in many areas.
The lady's slipper is also known in the United States of America as the moccasin
Moccasin
A Moccasin is a form of shoe worn by Native Americans, as well as by hunters, traders, and settlers in the frontier regions of North America.Moccasin may also refer to:* Moccasin , an American Thoroughbred racehorse-Places:...
flower, from its resemblance to a shoe or moccasin.
Further reading
- Cox, A.V., A. M. Pridgeon, V. A. Albert, and M. W. Chase. 1997. Phylogenetics of the slipper orchids (Cypripedioideae: Orchidaceae): nuclear rDNA ITS sequences. Plant Systematics and Evolution 208: 197-223. PDF
- Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol. 1, Oxford U. Press. ISBN 0-19-850513-2