Cypripedium acaule

 

 

AUTHOR: AMISHA PATEL

 

Courtesy of the UGA Herbarium

 

PINK LADY'S SLIPPER ORCHID

MOCCASIN FLOWER

CLASSIFICATION

(Mabberley. 1987)

 

DESCRIPTION

Botanist, William Aiton was the first to descrobe the Cypripedium acaule species in his first edition of Hortus Kewenis, 1789. The pink lady's slipper, as C. acaule is sometimes called, is a native orchid of the eastern part of the United States (Cribb. 1997).

Cribb describes the C. acaule species as "a terrestial herb, 20-45 cm tall" (Cribb. 1997),there are two leaves that are opposite one another, elliptic and deeply pleated in form, and they rise from the base of the stem. Inflorescence is usually one or two, which rarely occurs (Williams. 1983). The flower is large in size with yellow-green to maroon sepals and petals and a pink lip (Cribb. 1997). Williams describes the lip as " an elongated pouch with longitudinal aperture, often with darker veins (Williams. 1983).

 

HABITAT

The C. acaule is easily recognized by its tow leaves and pink lip. It lives in a variety of habitats from dry pine woods to wet sphangnum pine woods. Usually where the soil nutrient is rich and acidic levels are strong (Cribb. 1997). Flowering occurs from mid-April in the south and continuing until July in the northern states. C. acaule flourishes in woodlands, swamps, bogs, and in dense woodlands along streams (Williams. 1983).

 

GEOGRAPHY

C. acaule is found throughout N. America, mostly in the eastern and northeastern parts. It is also found in Canada and in the U. S. Some states in which C. acaule can be found in some states such as: South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky (Cribb. 1997).

Cypripedium acaule

AREA

STATUS

REFERENCE

North America:

Continental U. S.; Canada

Yes

Cribb. 1997

Eastern North America:

United States east of Mississippi;

Ontario and eastern Canada

Yes

Cribb. 1997

Southeastern U. S. :

AL, AR, DE, DC, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV

Yes

Cribb. 1997

Southern Appalachian States:

AL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV

Yes

Williams. 1983

Coastal plain

Yes

Wofford & Kral. 1993

Piedmont

Yes

Mike Moore, Pers. Ob.

Blue Ridge Mountains

Yes

Gupton & Swope. 1979

Great Smokey Mountains

Yes

Campbell. Et. al. 1962

Ridge and Valley

Yes

Wofford & Kral. 1993

Cumberland Plateau

Yes

Wofford & Kral. 1993

Central Arch

?

Georgia

Yes

UGA Herbarium

Clarke County, Georgia

Yes

UGA Herbarium

Sams Farm

?

Old Field

?

Wetland

?

Woods

?

1-hectar plot

?