Cypripedium acaule Aiton

Pink Lady's Slipper; Pink Moccasin Flower

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Pink Lady's Slipper is a native herbaceous perennial in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It is native to northeastern Alabama. Pink Lady's Slipper occurs in dry to wet hardwood or mixed pine-hardwood forests. It is a perennial with thick fibrous roots and a short rhizome. Only two basal leaves are produced. The leaves are elliptic to ovate in outline, ribbed, entire, and slightly glandular pubescent. Flowers are resupinate and solitary on a leafless glandular scape. A floral bract arches over the flower. The flowers have 3 greenish or brownish sepals, 2 of which are united behind the lip and the third is erect. Two twisted brownish or greenish petals extend to either side of the lip. The third petal forms an inflated lip. The lip is pink or white in color with darker veins. Pink Lady's Slipper is pollinated by bees that enter the lip through a longitudinal slit. Once inside the bees are guided by hairs towards exit openings located below masses of pollen. The bee passes under the stigma on the way to the exit and if it bears any pollen from a visit to another flower it is removed. The bee receives no reward for visiting the flower. Pink Lady's Slipper is listed as a S3 species in Alabama (typically 21 to 100 occurrences, limited acreage, or miles of stream in the state), and Globally as a G5 species (demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery). Pink Lady's Slipper are available from some nurseries. Like most native orchids they are difficult to grow. They require a mutualistic relationship with fungi in the genus Rhizoctonia. Only purchase plants from nurseries that do not collect plants from the wild.—A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL) S3 (State Rank) G5 (Global Rank)

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