- Lady's Slipper
Taxobox
name = Lady's Slipper Orchids
image_width = 250px
image_caption = An orchid of the genus "Paphiopedilum"
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo =Asparagales
familia =Orchidaceae
subfamilia = Cypripedioideae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = SeeTaxonomy of the orchid family .Lady Slippers (aka Lady's Slipper, Lady's-slipper, Ladyslipper) is a term used to describe the orchids in the subfamily Cypripedioidea, which includes the genera "
Cypripedium ,Mexipedium ,Paphiopedilum ,Phragmipedium " and "Selenipedium ", distinguished by their slipper-shaped pouches (modifiedlabellum s), which function by trapping insects so that they are forced to climb up past thestaminode , behind which they collect or deposit pollinia.This subfamily has been considered by some (Rasmussen, 1985) to be a family Cypripediaceae, separate from the
Orchidaceae .The subfamily Cypripedioideae is
monophyletic and consists of five genera. Their common features are two fertile diandrous (that is, with two perfectstamen s)anther s, a shield-shapedstaminode and a saccate (sac-shaped) lip."Cypripedium" are found across much of
North America , as well as in parts ofEurope . The state flower ofMinnesota is the Showy Lady's Slipper ("Cypripedium reginae "). The Pink Lady's Slipper, ("Cypripedium acaule "), is the official state wildflower ofNew Hampshire . The Lady's Slipper is also the official provincial flower ofPrince Edward Island , a province ofCanada ."Paphiopedilum"s are found in the tropical forests of
southeast Asia reaching as far north as southernChina . "Paphiopedilum" is quite easy to cultivate and therefore is popular among orchid enthusiasts. In fact, overcollecting of this genus has caused some problems in its original habitat."Phragmipedium", found across northern South and Central America, is also easy to cultivate as it requires lower
temperature s than "Paphiopedilum", eliminating the need for agreenhouse in many areas.The lady's slipper is also known in the
United States of America as the "moccasin flower", from its resemblance to a shoe or moccasin.References
*Rasmussen, F. N.
1985 . Orchids. In R. M. Dahlgren, H. T. Clifford, and P. F. Yeo [eds.] , The families of the monocotyledons. Springer Verlag, Berlin.
*Cash, C.1991 . "The Slipper Orchids", Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-183-1. Lists 140 slipper orchid species.
*Cox, A.V., A. M. Pridgeon, V. A. Albert, and M. W. Chase. 1997. Phylogenetics of the slipper orchids (Cypripedioideae: Orchidaceae): nuclear rDNA ITS sequences. "Plant Systematics and Evolution" 208: 197-223. [http://folk.uio.no/victoraa/Cox_1997.pdf PDF]
*Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol.1, Oxford U. Press. ISBN 0-19-850513-2External links
* [http://www.slipperorchid.org/ The Slipper Orchid Alliance]
* [http://www.slipperorchids.info/ SlipperOrchids.info]
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