Cypripedium macranthos

Large-flowered Lady's Slipper ( Cypripedium macranthos )

The Large-flowered Lady's Slipper ( Cypripedium macranthos ) is a species of the genus Cypripedium in the orchid family ( Orchidaceae).

Features

The Large-flowered Lady's Slipper is a perennial plant with a short, thick rhizome, rarely reaches the heights of growth from 25 to 40 inches or 15 to 50 centimeters. The bald or little hairy stems bearing three to four leaves. These are oval, acuminate, 10-15 × 6-8 inches tall. The flowers are solitary, rarely two per plant. The ovary is hairy or bald scattered. The bracts measure 7 to 14 × 3 to 3.5 inches. Pedicel and ovary are 3 to 4.5 inches long. The upper outer perianth measures 3.2 to 5.3 × 2 to 3.4 inches. The lower outer perianth measures 2.8 to 4 × 1.4 to 2 inches and is on the edge bare. The tepals are purple or pink colored, with darker nerves. Rarely they are white or cream-colored. The lip is 3 to 5.5 inches long, with a 1.5 -centimeter opening. The Staminodium is oblong - oval.

Blooms from May to July.

Occurrence

The Large-flowered woman shoe comes in temperate Eastern Europe, Siberia, the Far East, Korea, Japan and Taiwan in meadows, thickets, forests on moist sites in sparse shade and on river banks at altitudes up to 2400 meters in front. It grows in humus-rich, non- waterlogged soils.

Use

The Large-flowered Lady's Slipper is rarely used as an ornamental plant for groups of trees and vessels. The species is in cultivation since at least 1829.

Documents

• Corner Hardt J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.
• Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven (eds.): Orchidaceae ( Draft). In: Flora of China. 25 Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis 1994 ( Flora of China, accessed on 20/01/2009 ).