Pink Lady's Slipper Cypripedium acaule Aiton    Synonyms: Fissipes acaulis, Moccasin-flower.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Orchidales   >   Family Orchidaceae   >   Genus Cypripedium   

Description:

Pink Lady's Slipper is pubescent (hairy) throughout, with two basal leaves and no stem (the species epithet, "acaule," means without a stem). The flowers are single, pink, and borne on a leafless peduncle, or stalk. The lip of the flower is pouchlike with a longitudinal fissure. Look for the distinctive, paired basal leaves.

Where to find:

Grows in acidic upland forests, usually under oaks or pines. It occurs throughout Maryland.

Relationships:

The seeds of orchids are very tiny and lack the food reserves that most other plants have. A Pink Lady's Slipper seed depends on a fungus in the genus Rhizoctonia to break open the seed, attach to it, and supply nutrients to the developing orchid plant. Once the orchid is able to photosynthesize, it returns the favor by providing nutrients to its fungal symbiont.

There are 537 records in the project database.

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Pink Lady's Slipper in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/7/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/30/2016). Photo by Amanda Spears. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper found blooming in Wicomico Co., Maryland (5/19/07). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/7/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/6/2007). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/17/2013). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/3/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/24/2002). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/20/2013). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Calvert Co., Maryland (4/30/2017). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/7/2006). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/4/2013). Photo by Wendy Crowe. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/5/2013). Photo by Ed Boyd. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/12/2016). Photo by Elizabeth Miller. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/25/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/5/2007). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper blooming in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/18/2002). Photo by Boyer and McDowell. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Dorchester Co., Maryland (3/4/2018). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/12/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

The leaves of Pink Lady's Slipper in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/8/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper leaves in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/18/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/3/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper fruit in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/24/2020). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (4/7/2020). (c) nurmirj13, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by nurmirj13 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (4/7/2020). (c) nurmirj13, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by nurmirj13 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/14/2020). (c) audreyl48, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by audreyl48 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/10/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Pink Lady's Slipper with seed capsule in Howard Co., Maryland (7/10/2015). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper (fruit capsule from previous year) in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/12/2015). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) Ashley Rodeheaver, all rights reserved. Photo by Ashley Rodeheaver. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slippers in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/23/2020). Photo by Andrew Clemens. (MBP list)

Pink Lady's Slipper in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/3/2020). Photo by Lisa Sheirer. (MBP list)


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