lady’s slipper
- Related Topics:
- Cypripedium
- Paphiopedilum
- Mexipedium
- Selenipedium
- Phragmipedium
lady’s slipper, (subfamily Cypripedioideae), subfamily of five genera of orchids (family Orchidaceae), in which the lip of the flower is slipper-shaped. Lady’s slippers are found throughout Eurasia and the Americas, and some species are cultivated.
Description
Lady’s slipper orchids are usually terrestrial, though some are epiphytic or grow on rocks. Most species have rhizomes and fibrous roots. Unlike most other orchids, the flowers characteristically feature two fertile anthers (male, pollen-producing structures) instead of just one. The slipper-shaped lip of the flower serves as a trap for pollinating insects, forcing insect visitors to climb past the reproductive structures and deposit or receive pollinia (pollen masses) to fertilize the flower.
Genera
The genus Cypripedium has about 50 temperate and subtropical species, most of which are terrestrial. One well-known species is the yellow lady’s slipper (C. calceolus). Another is the pink lady’s slipper (C. acaule), also known as the moccasin flower. Most species have one or two flowers on a stem about 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches) tall.
The genus Mexipedium consists of a single species, M. xerophyticum, endemic to a small region of Oaxaca, Mexico. The plants grow on dry cliff faces and spread by runners. The tiny flowers are white with a pale pink central column. The plant is considered critically endangered.
Species of Paphiopedilum, a genus of about 70 tropical Asian lady’s slippers, have mottled or greenish leaves with a leathery texture and large waxy flowers of various colours. Many hybrids have been developed.
About 20 species of lady’s slippers constitute the genus Phragmipedium. They are narrow-leaved plants native to tropical America. One to six flowers with ribbonlike petals are borne on a stalk nearly 90 cm (35 inches) tall.
The six species in the genus Selenipedium, also native to tropical America, may be 5 metres (16 feet) tall. The leaves are folded, and the flowers are borne on a spike at the tip of the plant. S. vanillocarpum has vanilla-scented seedpods. All Selenipedium species are considered endangered or threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
