|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
||
| THE ORCHID FAMILY | ||
| The orchid family is easily recognizable
because of the unique structures of the flower. There are usually three
sepals and three petals, similar to other petaloid monocots; however, the
sepals often look like the two side petals. The middle petal is called the
labellum or lip and is usually highly modified. The lip can be pouch-like,
have appendages or be coloured differently than the rest of the perianth.
The stamens, style, and stigma are fused together to form the column. There
is usually one functional anther with two pollen sacs that contain masses
of pollen called pollinia. The stigma is usually a sticky surface at the
tip or beak of the column. The ovary is long and can be seen below the sepals
and petals. Orchid flowers can be very bright and large, which makes them popular ornamental plants. This family is well represented in the tropics. Saskatchewan has several orchid species, most of which are quite small. |
||
| FAIRY SLIPPER | ||
| LATIN NAME: Calypso bulbosa var. americana | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Fairy slipper only grows as tall as 20 cm. The roots are slender and coral-like. A bulb-like corm is present underground. The stem does not have leaves. Fairy slipper has a solitary, basal leaf with a long, grooved stalk. The leaf blade is bluish-green and without hairs. The flower is solitary and has one, purplish bract. The flower is pinkish, except for the whitish, sac-like lip. The lip has a yellow tip and is marked with red-brown and has three rows of yellow hairs. The column is modified to look like a petal. The fruit is a capsule that produces many tiny seeds. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Fairy slipper prefers the litter layer in coniferous forests. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This plant grows in northern Saskatchewan or in the Cypress Hills in the Cypress Upland, Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Churchill River Upland, Athabasca Plain, and Tazin Lake Upland ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| Calypso bulbosa var. americana is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is limited to two general regions in the province. Although there are numerous localities of this species, most local populations are small. This species faces threats in northern Saskatchewan relating to habitat loss and logging. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY FAIRY SLIPPER | ||
| * Are the sepals and petals pink? * Is the lip white with three rows of yellow hairs? * Is there one leaf at the base of the plant? * Did you find in northern Saskatchewan or the Cypress Hills? |
||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found fairy slipper! | ||
