USDA Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers

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Beauty of It All

The Ladies

Cypripedium acaule

Cypripedium arietinum

Cypripedium californicum

Cypripedium candidum

Cypripedium fasciculatum

Cypripedium guttatum

Cypripedium kentuckiense

Cypripedium montanum

Cypripedium parviflorum

Cypripedium passerinum

Cypripedium reginae

Meet The Ladies: The Slipper Orchids

Cypripedium acaule: Moccasin flower, pink lady's slipper

The moccasin flower, or pink lady's slipper, occurs from central and eastern Canada, south across the north central and northeastern United States.

the moccasin flower.
Photo by Ottawa National Forest.

Map of the range of Cypripedium acaule in North America.
Courtesy of Flora of North America.

Cypripedium acaule in its habitat.
Photo by Ottawa National Forest.

Cypripedium acaule has two basal leaves from which emerge the flowering stem carrying a single flower. The pouch is mauve to magenta and has a split in the front instead of the usual round opening.

Cypripedium acaule grows in mixed hardwood coniferous forests of pine and hemlock on rocky/mossy slopes in semi-open or in deep humus and acidic but well-drained soil under birch and other deciduous trees of eastern United States forests.

For More Information

U.S. Forest Service
Rangeland Management
Botany Program

1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop Code: 1103
Washington DC 20250-1103

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Location: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/cypripedium/cypripedium_acaule.shtml
Last modified: Tuesday, 24-Jun-2008 21:57:52 EDT