Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd.
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Cypripedium
 
Species Synonyms: none
Common Names: white lady’s-slipper
small white lady’s-slipper
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southeastern Saskatchewan – southern Manitoba – southern Ontario
Saskatchewan: southeastern Saskatchewan
Ecoregion: Aspen Parkland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: open calcareous meadows
Canada: calcareous meadows, marl bogs, swamps, and moist prairies
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered/Extirpated?
Nature Conservancy Status:
G4 N2 SH
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
Extirpated
COSEWIC Status:
Endangered
 
White lady’s-slipper is endangered because of rarity in Saskatchewan. It is restricted to one location in the province. Immediate or probable threats have been identified. This species has not been located in Saskatchewan for several years and may have been extirpated from the province.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 10 – 40 cm
Stems: leafy, erect
Roots: rhizomes short, densely clumped
Leaves: on the stem, alternate, ascending to erect, 3 – 4, along middle of stem, 5 – 20 cm long, 2 – 4 cm wide, lance-shaped to inversely lance-shaped, folded, sparingly glandular-hairy
Inflorescence: flowers usually solitary, subsessile; bracts large, 3.5 – 6 cm long, to 2 cm wide, leaf-like
Flowers: fragrant; sepals 1.5 – 3.5 cm long, green to brownish-yellow, usually spotted or striped with reddish-brown, lateral sepals fused; petals 2.5 – 4.5 cm long, spreading to reflexed, twisted, lance-shaped to linear, same colour as sepals; lip 1.5 – 2.5 cm long, rounded, waxy-white, purple veined inside near the base; staminode on a slender stalk, lance-shaped to elliptic, yellow, spotted with red
Fruits: capsule 2 – 3 cm long
 
CYPRIPEDIUM KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Leaves 2, basal or sub-basal
C. acaule
1 Leaves at least 3, on the stem
2
   
2 Lateral sepals distinct; lip irregularly triangular
C. arietinum
2 Lateral sepals at least partially fused; lip rounded
3
   
3 Lip yellow
4
3 Lip white or pink, but with coloured veins
6
 
4 Sepals oval; lip 1 – 2 cm long
C. passerinum
4 Sepals lance-shaped; lip 2 – 5 cm long
5
 
5 Lower surface of distal sheathing bract sparsely hairy; lip 2 – 3 cm long; strongly sweet scented
C. parviflorum var. makasin
5 Lower surface of distal sheathing bract silvery hairy; lip 2 – 5 cm long; musty to rose scented
C. parviflorum var. pubescens
 
6 Sepals and petals white; petals flat; lip white or pinkish
C. reginae
6 Sepals greenish to brown or purple, petals white to brown-purple or greenish and twisted; lip white or ivory
C. candidum