Cypripedium

plant genus

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June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

The genus Cypripedium refers to a group of orchids, commonly known as lady's slippers, characterized by their distinctive slipper-shaped lip on the flower. These plants are found across Eurasia and the Americas and are typically terrestrial, though some can grow as epiphytes or on rocks.12

Lady's slipper orchids have a unique pollination mechanism. The slipper-shaped lip acts as a trap for insects, guiding them past the flower's reproductive structures, ensuring pollination. Unlike most orchids, Cypripedium flowers possess two fertile anthers. The genus includes about 50 species, with examples like the yellow lady's slipper (C. calceolus) and the pink lady's slipper, also called the moccasin flower (C. acaule).1

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lady’s slipper
Genera
The genus Cypripedium has about 50 temperate and subtropical species, most of which are terrestrial. One well-known species is the yellow lady’s slipper (C. calceolus). Another is the pink lady’s slipper (C. acaule), also known as the moccasin flower. Most species have one or two flowers on…
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The genus Cypripedium has about 50 temperate and subtropical species, most of which are terrestrial. One well-known species is the yellow lady’s slipper (C. calceolus). Another is the pink lady’s slipper (C. acaule), also known as the moccasin flower. Most species have one or two flowers on…
Read More