Cypripedium kentuckiense
Encyclopedia
Cypripedium kentuckiense or Kentucky Lady's Slipper is a member of the orchid genus Cypripedium
. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as Lady's Slipper
orchids.
Originally thought to be an aberrant form of Cypripedium parviflorum
var.pubescens, the morphology
of C. kentuckiense suggests it is a species of its own. However, molecular evidence suggests that C. kentuckiense is actually closer to Cypripedium parviflorum
var.parviflorum than it is to Cypripedium parviflorum
var.pubescens.
. The petal
s and sepal
s are greenish striped and mottled with purple while the very large lip, or pouch, is a creamy ivory or pale yellow. The plant can be up to 70 cm tall and has bract leaf-like leaves that are up to 12 cm long. Each plant is usually single-flowered.
, Mississippi
, Kentucky
, Ohio
, Missouri
, Arkansas
, Oklahoma
, Louisiana
, and Tennessee
. Additionally, there is a small patch in the northern neck peninsula of Virginia
. However, the range of this species is not continuous; it mostly consists of relatively isolated patches. It is most often found in deep ravines on acidic and sandstone soils.
Cypripedium
Cypripedium is a genus of 47 species of lady's-slipper orchids native to temperate and colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere.Some grow in the tundra in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when...
. Members of this genus are commonly referred to as Lady's Slipper
Lady's Slipper
Lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids are the orchids in the subfamily Cypripedioidea, which includes the genera Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium and Selenipedium...
orchids.
Originally thought to be an aberrant form of Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as Yellow Lady's Slipper or Mocassin Flower is a Lady's Slipper orchid found in North America.-External links:* * , Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador...
var.pubescens, the morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
of C. kentuckiense suggests it is a species of its own. However, molecular evidence suggests that C. kentuckiense is actually closer to Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as Yellow Lady's Slipper or Mocassin Flower is a Lady's Slipper orchid found in North America.-External links:* * , Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador...
var.parviflorum than it is to Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum
Cypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as Yellow Lady's Slipper or Mocassin Flower is a Lady's Slipper orchid found in North America.-External links:* * , Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador...
var.pubescens.
Description
C. kentuckiense has the largest flower of in the genus CypripediumCypripedium
Cypripedium is a genus of 47 species of lady's-slipper orchids native to temperate and colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere.Some grow in the tundra in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when...
. The petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s and sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s are greenish striped and mottled with purple while the very large lip, or pouch, is a creamy ivory or pale yellow. The plant can be up to 70 cm tall and has bract leaf-like leaves that are up to 12 cm long. Each plant is usually single-flowered.
Range
C. kentuckiense is found in a large swathe through the central portion of the United States including TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Additionally, there is a small patch in the northern neck peninsula of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. However, the range of this species is not continuous; it mostly consists of relatively isolated patches. It is most often found in deep ravines on acidic and sandstone soils.