Cypripedium candidum (White lady’s slipper)

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Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd.

White lady’s slipper

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Orchidaceae	Orchid family
Genus	Cypripedium	Latinization (albeit an incorrect one) of ancient Greek words meaning “Venus’ shoe”
Species	candidum	From Latin for “shining white”

About plant names...

White lady's slipper is an increasingly rare native of North America. Please don't pick them or try to transplant them!

Identification: These small, rare, delicate plants are 4-14" (10-35 cm) tall, with 2-4 roughly oval-shaped leaves 1¾-6" (5-15 cm) long. Each stem supports a single white slipper-shaped flower, sometimes with purple markings, 1-4" (3-11 cm) long. They do not grow in acid soils, but prefer alkaline bogs and fens or meadows, such as those near limestone.

Online References:

Ontario Wildflowers

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The Orchids of Wisconsin

Wikipedia

The U.S. Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers site

The Orchids of Wisconsin

EFloras

The Orchid Conservation Coalition

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 10" (23 × 24 cm)

Cypripedium candidum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

Range:

About this map...