Showy Lady's Slipper

Appearance

Like other lady's slipper orchids the "Cypripedium reginae" has flowers with a pouch-shaped labellum. "Cypripedium reginae" is a large, terrestrial orchid, growing 21–100 cm in height with many stems from the same rootstock. Each stem has three to five alternate, pubescent leaves. Each ovately shaped leaf grows up to 25 cm long and 16 cm broad. Flowering stems one to three large, white and pink flowers. The upper petals are white, up to 4 cm in length and 1.5 cm across. The pouch-shaped labellum is rose-pink to magenta 2.5–5.5 cm in length.

Despite producing a large amount of seeds per seed pod, it reproduces largely by vegetative reproduction.

Naming

The species name "reginae" is Latin for "of a queen". Common names also include fairy queen, white wing moccasin, royal lady's slipper, and silver-slipper.

Status

"Cypripedium reginae" is quite rare. Its increasing rarity is attributable to destruction of a suitable alkaline habitat; it is sensitive to hydrologic disturbances, and is threatened by wetland draining, water contamination, habitat destruction and horticultural collectors. Browsing by an exploding deer population stunts or eliminates the plant's growth.

The plant is classified as imperiled or critically imperiled in Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Newfoundland and Labrador, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. It is considered vulnerable in Indiana, Maine, Manitoba, Massachusetts, New York, Quebec, Vermont, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, and several areas of eastern Canada. It is known to occur in only 14 locations in Massachusetts. It was historically found in Kentucky and North Carolina, but has not been found recently.

The only provinces to rank "Cyp. reginae" as apparently secure are Ontario and Manitoba. There are no SRANKs for the U.S. states of Minnesota and Michigan, but the plant is found in 61 of Michigan's 83 counties, and 33 of the 87 counties in Minnesota.

With funding from the San Diego Orchid Society, The New Hampshire Orchid Society, and the National Institutes of Health, the New Hampshire Academy of Science has performed extensive research regarding the conservation and genetic analysis of "Cyp." species native to northern New England. Their researchers have published research papers and numerous abstracts and presented their research in the annual meeting notes of the AAAS and at the New England Science Symposium at Dartmouth College on "Cyp." species found in VT and NH.

Habitat

"Cypripedium reginae" grows in wetlands such as fens, wooded swamps, and riverbanks. "Cyp. reginae" thrives in neutral to basic soils but can be found in slightly acidic conditions. The plants often form in clumps by branching of the underground rhizomes. Its roots are typically within a few inches of the top of the soil. It prefers very loose soils and when growing in fens it will most often be found in mossy hummocks.

It can tolerate full sun but prefers partial shade for some part of the day. When exposed to full sun, the flower lip is somewhat bleached and less deeply colored. It is occasionally eaten by white-tailed deer.

"Cypripedium reginae" can be found in Canada from Saskatchewan east to Atlantic Canada, and the United States from North Dakota east to the Atlantic and south to Arkansas and Tennessee.

Reproduction

"Cypripedium reginae" reproduces sexually and depends on insects such as syrphid flies, beetles and "Megachile" bees for pollination. The structure of the flower creates a tight space through which insects have to squeeze. A pollinating insect first passes by the stigma, and upon exiting the trap rubs against the anther. Pollination typically occurs in June and the seed pod or fruit is ripe by September and dehisces by October. Although a single seed pod can produce over 50,000 seeds, low germination and a seed-to-flowering term of about eight years indicate that sexual reproduction is inefficient. Asexual reproduction from rhizomes is a common means of sustaining a population.

It flowers in early to midsummer, usually with 1 to 2 flowers per stalk, less commonly 3 or 4.

Cultural

The plant became the state flower of Minnesota in 1902 and was protected by state law in 1925. It is illegal to pick or uproot a pink-and-white lady's slipper flower in Minnesota.

Although this plant was chosen as the provincial flower for Prince Edward Island in 1947, it is so rare on the island that another lady's-slipper, "C. acaule", replaced it as the province's floral emblem in 1965.